A renowned Malaysian celebrity chef and social media influencer, celebrated for veganising traditional Malaysian cuisine, Chef Dave has finally put his name on the world culinary map. On June 28, 2026, he shared a reel on Instagram with the caption reading, “Growing up, I spent hours watching the Asian Food Channel, never imagining that one day I’d actually be on it. Today, that little kid in me is smiling so big.” In the video, he is seen collaborating with the winner of MasterChef Australia season 9, Diana Chan, a Malaysian-born Australian cook originating from Sitiawan, Perak.
Born in 1991 as Kalidevan Murugaya, Chef Dave hails from Sibu, Sarawak. He completed secondary education in SMK Seri Jementah, then pursued hospitality management in TAR College, Kampar. Then, upon receiving the opportunity, he continued with a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Management at Liverpool John Moores University, UK, and then an MBA at Trinity Saint David University, Wales.
Despite professional experience spanning over 10 years working with legendary companies in the industry, like Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts and Disney Cruise Line, when the COVID pandemic struck, he found himself unemployed. However, he wasted no time. He saw an opportunity to maximise his skills, and he seized it by curating content for YouTube and Facebook. ‘ChefDave VeganJourney’ showcases a compilation of vegan local heritage food cooking recipe tutorials.
Advocating for a vegan lifestyle and animal rights, the platform also serves as a social company. As an attempt to empower home-based cooks, in 2020, he established D’Vegan Academy along with PB Health, a social enterprise dedicated to helping Malaysians improve their health through whole-food plant-based food.
Standing proudly as one of the Malaysian Celebrity Chefs in Matsers of Malaysian Cuisine coalition promoting Veganised Malaysian cuisine to international audiences, he has also helped change many people’s perception towards vegan food and estimates that at least 300 people have successfully switched to a vegan lifestyle after viewing his videos. Having appeared on Astro Awani, Vaanavil, Vinmeen and RTM, Chef Dave has held around 70 successful online classes and workshops over the course of two years, and his following on social media has exceeded the one million mark.
Today, as he reminisces about his childhood aspirations on Instagram upon making his debut on the Asian Food Channel, it is to be remembered that the first launching point to his career goes back to a magic moment in childhood, when he used to peel onions for his grandma. Another significant instance in his life was when his father objected to his choice of career in culinary arts. On account of the rest of his family being supportive, he pursued his heart anyway. However, today, his father could not be prouder of his accomplishments.
Source: Chef Dave Vegan Journey
