Miss Malaysia

Melissa Ann Tan

What are your interests and what do you enjoy doing the most?
My passions in life are food and fashion. I am ever willing to cook for anyone at any time; my specialties are pasta and Malaysian cuisine. Besides cooking, I also love fashion designing; I hope to have my own clothing line own day. Friends come to me for ideas and advice on fashion, and I always enjoy being their consultant on shopping sprees. Being a people-oriented person, I enjoy organizing events, too. Hence, I have turned this interest into a part-time business.

Name one person other than your parents who has had the most influence on your life. Why?
I am inspired by the good in every person I meet, however, if I had to name one person besides my parents, it would be the author Napoleon Hill. Reading his book "Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude" was the turning point in my life. I changed from a complacent, risk-fearing person to a go-getter with the right values in life.

What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal?
It has always been my dream to own a restaurant. The concept of my restaurant would be a home-style casual dining experience. My mother is a fantastic cook, especially in "Nyonya food" - the Malaccan dishes. We have compiled our popular recipes and hold regular food tasting sessions at home. Potential investors have already been lined up, and I hope to set up the business in the very near future, perhaps within two years time from now.

Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.
I was raised in the suburb of Petaling Jaya, which is approximately 20km from the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. My neighborhood was very peaceful with middle class families and lots of children of the same ages. As a child, I was very creative and loved making dresses for dolls and bags for my cousins and friends from the neighborhood. Every weekend was an opportunity for my family, relatives and friends to get together at our house. My mother would cook her specialty dishes for them and at times they would ask my cousins and me to perform a sketch and dance. Since all of us have grown up now and we can hardly meet up with each other, I really miss those happy moments.

What makes you unique and different from the other contestants?
I am a Malaysian who has Chinese-Nyonya and Dutch-Portuguese blood. I have the ability to embrace different cultures and adapt to situations easily.

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