Ice sculpting faces talent shortage despite strong demand

The Sun

21-06-2025

ALOR GAJAH: Often the highlight of official events, luxurious weddings and product launches, ice sculptures add a touch of elegance and artistry to any occasion.
However, industry players are increasingly concerned that without young talent and formal training to sustain the craft, this visually captivating art form may gradually fade, despite strong demand from the hospitality sector.
Bukit Beruang Community College (KK) culinary lecturer Mohd Farid Yusoff said that with only a few five-star hotels employing professional ice sculptors, they had become highly sought after by hotels, caterers and event planners seeking unique table centrepieces.
'There are fewer than 10 professional ice sculptors in Malaysia, and we are making efforts to increase that number to preserve this ice carving legacy.
'The legacy of ice sculpting must be preserved, especially as veteran chefs like Chef Jeffrey, Chef John and Chef Haron, who represented Malaysia at global events including in Sapporo, Japan, are no longer active. We really need to find fresh talent to continue their legacy,' he said when met at the Melaka Cuisine Challenge 2025 at Freeport A'Famosa Outlet here today.
Malaysia still lacked structured platforms for ice sculptors, unlike Japan, South Korea and the United States, where formal training and competitions were already in place, despite the presence of promising talent among culinary Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students.
He added that the high cost of equipment and materials, such as ice-cutting machines and industrial-grade refrigerators, had made it difficult for most educational institutions to offer ice sculpting courses, thus limiting opportunities for young people and new players in the field.
'Due to these constraints, KK Bukit Beruang started offering short-term certificate-level training in ice carving to give young people a chance to learn and improve their skills.
'We're promoting it as it is also part of the TVET stream, while also helping students realise that this art form, though short-lived, can have a lasting impact and offer a rewarding income,' he said.
Meanwhile, professional ice sculptor Muhammad Farhan Abd Rahim said proactive steps must be taken to preserve the art of ice carving and to elevate its status to be on par with wood and metal carving.
With six years of experience working at a leading hotel in Kuala Lumpur, the 28-year-old sculptor added that wider exposure through competitions could help inspire more people, especially culinary students, to pursue ice sculpting professionally.
'We must admit, this isn't an easy field. It requires a lot of patience, working in freezing conditions, and sometimes the carvings just don't go as planned.
'Yet, I believe there are many who are interested, but they simply don't know where to begin or how to learn. Events like the Melaka Culinary Challenge can give them the exposure they need by showing how drawing skills can be applied to create unique carvings from ice blocks,' he said.