ABOUT US

When we started, we wanted to bring more exposure to Malaysian food by creating new menu items on each pop up. Hence the name SEKALI which means once and also together.

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Born and raised in Sabah, Borneo, Derrick started his culinary career working at 5 star hotels in Kuala Lumpur while attending Taylor's College for French Culinary Arts. He then furthered his studies at Johnson & Wales with a Bachelors in Culinary Arts.

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His American career started at Gracie's in Providence, RI, which he started off as a line cook, opening a sister bakery (Ellie's) and then back at the restaurant as a sous chef. He then had an opportunity to work at birch in Providence, RI, for a year.

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After accumulating all the knowledge, he then moved to Honesdale, PA to help his friend open a restaurant Dyberry Forks as a consulting chef.

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A year after consulting, he made the big move back to the East Coast to help open Cafe Artscience in Kendall Square, Cambridge as a sous chef for two years.

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A big opportunity came for him to open up Pagu in Central Square, Cambridge as the executive sous chef for a year.