SMU graduate and Candlenut's chef-owner Malcolm Lee may have trained at culinary school, At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy, however, his expertise in Peranakan cuisine is inherited from his Nonya mother and grandmother. The turning point of his career came when he worked at Western restaurant Harry's Tap Room in the Washington Dulles International Airport, to earn more money for his travels. At SMU, he had a hand in running Frujch, a student-run cafe, which further convinced him to embark on his culinary journey at At-Sunrice.