KATELYN TAN, CLASS OF ‘18
University attended: University College London (UCL), BSc. Social Sciences
Current profession: Dining Editor for Tatler Dining, Tatler Asia Group
Meet Katelyn Tan, a member of Class of ‘18 who recently celebrated her two-year work anniversary with Tatler Asia Group as Dining Editor for Tatler Dining. Katelyn’s stint with Tatler Dining started back in 2020 and 2021 when she was an intern writer whilst completing her studies in UCL. You can find Katelyn’s writing here https://www.tatlerasia.com/authors/katelyn-tan.
Katelyn’s passion for food is not limited to Tatler Dining. In fact, she discovered her passion for food while studying as she would cook, discover new recipes, and document her culinary journey through her “foodie” account on Instagram @katfewd (https://www.instagram.com/katfewd/). Join us as she takes us through her journey since leaving GIS to becoming Dining Editor at one of Asia’s leading luxury media brands.
Take us through your journey from when you left GIS to how you became the Dining Editor with Tatler Dining. How did you decide on selecting a career pathway that is different from what you pursued in university? This will be super insightful for our students looking to pursue a similar pathway!
When I went to university, I started cooking for myself and for friends. I realised that I really enjoyed exploring new recipes and I would post what I made on my food account @katfewd at the time, as well as taking on part-time jobs in restaurants. I actually started at UCL doing Economics but I changed my course. It was also during this time that I took a gap year back in Kuala Lumpur. I applied for an internship at Tatler Dining and ended up interning with them twice; once during the pandemic and a second time when I was back in Kuala Lumpur for a year.
I’ve always loved the F&B industry—if I wasn’t writing about food, I’d probably be on the pass in a restaurant.
What are some of the challenges that come with writing about food, especially when a lot more food content is being produced in video formats?
Video content is incredibly visual, so when it comes to writing you have to portray everything that a dish is—taste, smell, texture, how it makes you feel—the whole experience, in words. Food is also incredibly subjective!
What role did extracurricular activities or special programmes play in your overall experience at GIS?
One of my fondest memories in GIS is climbing Mt. Rinjani as part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. I still really enjoy hiking and in fact, as per time of writing, I will be climbing Mt. Kinabalu in 3 days!
Share your time at GIS, any fond memories? Feel free to mention friends and teachers names!
I really enjoyed the community that GIS provided. My best friend, who I met during A-Levels, is still my best friend—we actually went to university together, lived together for 4 years, and moved back to KL together to work. I still see her at least once a week now!
How did GIS shape you to become who you are today?
GIS really built my confidence, whether when it came to academics, public speaking, or extra-curricular activities. It also allowed me to find a creative streak in myself, which led to me pursuing a less-conventional path in my work.
What would be your best advice to current students who will be graduating soon?
It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to do. As much as I love my work now and feel like this is where I am meant to be, it took me a span of four years to figure out what I wanted to do from changing courses during university to pursuing a degree that was completely unrelated to my current job scope. Take your time and don’t stress about what is around the corner, as good things pop up when you least expect it!
A huge ‘Thank You’ to these inspiring Alumni, who generously shared their time and experiences with our students, despite their busy daily schedules.
If you are interested in sharing your journey post-GIS, then please get in touch with us at alumni@gardenschool.edu.my – We are always updating our page with news from the Alumni community across the continents and would love to hear from you and share your stories. Please get in touch via Facebook, or LinkedIn. We can’t wait to hear from you!