Chef Rock

It is incredibly difficult to eat gluten free in Malaysia. I do not expect everyone to understand the phrase "gluten free," so I explain "no wheat, no barley, no bread, nothing fried, and no soya sauce." I then hope for the best. Even if the staff speaks good English, most have no concept of food ingredients and would rather inform me that "bread tastes good" and I should "eat more bread." Needless to say, my husband has cooked a lot for me these past few months.

Look at all the beautiful pastries that I cannot eat.
Our extended stay hotel provides breakfast every morning. The first morning, I was extremely discouraged. I was nervous that my breakfast for the next six months would be eggs, just eggs, and sometimes just badly cooked hotel eggs with a side of fruit.

They will cycle out fruit. Some fruit I definitely like more than others.
Luckily, I married an extroverted husband. He has no problems starting conversations with strangers. I dread it. I absolutely dread informing people about my gluten intolerance. Honestly, I do not even mention my Adrenal Insufficiency even though I view that as more important than my gluten intolerance. It takes so many spoons to try to communicate, "no bread." I do not have the energy to explain  the implications of "no cortisol."

"Let me use the cheese tongs for the bread so that I can leave bread crumbs all over the cheese."
Side note: I'm so thankful I'm not celiac. I'd be constantly sick living here.
One day at breakfast (after I had already left for work), my husband began chatting with the head chef.

Chef Rock, with soup he prepared especially for my husband.
No, this is not gluten free.
My husband discovered that Chef Rock understands gluten free! One of the first things he told my husband was, "Oh... she can hardly eat anything here! I'm so sorry."

The potato wedges are theoretically gluten free...
except for the pieces of white bread at the bottom.
On days I have less options at breakfast, Chef Rock will bring a plate of fruit from the kitchen.

A special fruit plate, just for me. I love the oranges here.
Once a month, our hotel hosts a "residents night" with free food. However, most of it I cannot eat. Chef Rock will prepare a special plate of food for me. His generosity allows me to attend the event.

Do you see the size of that omelet?! It fed me for three meals.
Chef Rock sent my husband up with this on a day I couldn't make it to breakfast.
A few times, I have been too sick or fatigued to make it down for breakfast. During those times, Chef Rock would create a breakfast box and send it back to my room to be hand delivered by my husband.

"Where's your wife?" "She's sick this morning." "Ok, take this to her!"
Chef Rock takes really good care of me. He's one of the more awesome people we've met in Malaysia.

He got made fun of for serving me black olives, tomatoes, oranges, french fries, and a "chicken chop."
I thought the meal tasted amazing! This was at a residents night.

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