Name: Garth Welsh
Home Country: Australia
Industry/Job: Director of Kitchens at The Westin Kuala Lumpur
Marital Status: Married with a 9-month-old son (and one more on the way)
Other Countries you have lived: England, Norway, Fiji, the Philippines, the
Maldives
 

What brought you to Malaysia?
I was working at the Sheraton Full Moon Resort in the Maldives and a chance came up to transfer to The Westin Kuala Lumpur. I had been on islands for five years and the opportunity to move to a great hotel in a great city was one I had to grab. We have been here a little over a year now.

What were your impressions of Malaysia before you came?
I had been to Malaysia quite a few times before (KL, Penang, KK, and Sandakan) so I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. I had always loved the food, climate, friendliness, and natural beauty of Malaysia.

How easily did you adapt to living in a new country?
I have lived abroad for many years so it was quite an easy transition actually. My company has taken good care of me, as have the locals. The fact that I can communicate easily with everybody in English is obviously a big help.

What three things do you wish you could change about Malaysia?
The traffic in KL is a bit of a nightmare, so that would be one. Not unlike many countries, it seems to me that the rich are very rich and the poor are very poor, so I would love to be able to close that gap. And finally, because I love eating at them so much, better hygiene standards at hawker stalls would be great.

Name three typical weekend activities that you enjoy.
I enjoy relaxing by the pool and eating out – maybe at a Sunday brunch, a nice restaurant, or a good hawker stall. Walking: we like to explore all around our local area on foot.

Do you own any property here?
I don’t own any property here. I’m still relatively new in town so I’m not sure yet if my long-term future is here. Maybe one day I’ll buy something here as an investment. I own a house in Yamba on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia.

What one memory will you always treasure from your time here?
I think seeing the Orang-utans coming out of the forest at Sepilok really stands out. It was such an amazing experience. They are such beautiful, powerful yet gentle creatures, and to see them close-up in a fairly natural environment is special. I just hope the wild Orang-utans’ habitat is left alone and that Malaysia is able to show them off for a long, long time.

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