Sham Hanifa
Chef / Restauranteur / Sauce Maker / Media Contributor
Shamzuri (Sham) Hanifa, a native of Malaysia, moved to Ireland over 14 years ago seeking new opportunities and experiences. Steeped in a tradition and love of the freshest foods and inspired by his grandmother’s flavorsome cooking, Sham started his culinary career at 12! He has worked his way up through every stage of the catering world, from kitchen porter to head chef. At the age of 20, his whirlwind Irish adventure began in leading restaurants in the West of Ireland. Little did he know then that he would spend the next 14 years here, meet and marry an Irish girl, start a family, before settling in Jamestown in 2008 to open his own restaurant, the acclaimed The Cottage Restaurant.
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Jan. 25, 2026
Malaysian Chef, Woodland Retreat, E-Bike Ramble: Off the Beaten Craic in Leitrim - Days 7 & 8
Irish Stew’s latest “Off the Beaten Craic” adventure in County Leitrim discovers three new ways to slow down, tune in, and taste this corner of Ireland, through food, forest, and a gentle spin along the Jackalope Trail. First, we meet Malaysian‑born chef and restaurateur Sham Hanifa . At age 20 he answered an ad to work in Ireland, arriving in Carrick‑on‑Shannon jet‑lagged and short on money, but today he anchors the local food scene with The Cottage, My Kitchen, and Buffalo Boy, blending Irish ...