Alumna Salina Khairunnisa Campbell graduated from Le Cordon Bleu London with a Diplôme de Cuisine in 2020. Salina is the founder of Joli, a Malaysian and Singaporean inspired food brand based in London.
Salina trades at Borough Market, where she sells her handcrafted chilli sauces and jarred products, as well as her signature beef rendang and a whole range of other Malaysian-Singaporean culinary delights - from fragrant curries and sambal to classic street food favourites.
You will find the same vibrant spread of dishes at all the other markets Joli attends throughout London. Salina also offers plant-based options, including a much-loved jackfruit rendang, ensuring everyone can experience the bold, strong powerful aromatic flavours of Malaysian-Singaporean cuisine. Over the years, Salina has been proud to win multiple Great Taste Awards, and Joli has been recognised as a Great Taste Producer, which truly affirms the quality and passion that Salina puts into every product.
Why did you choose to come to Le Cordon Bleu London?
"Le Cordon Bleu is simply the best. When you are serious about food — truly serious — there is only one name that comes to mind. I wanted a foundation that was rigorous, world-class, and respected globally. London felt like the perfect home for that journey, a city as diverse and flavourful as the cuisine I grew up loving. I knew that if I was going to pursue this professionally, I needed training that matched my ambition, and Le Cordon Bleu was exactly that."
How did your time studying at Le Cordon Bleu London help your career?
"It gave me structure, confidence, and credibility. I came with instinct and a deep love for Singaporean flavours, but Le Cordon Bleu gave me the technical skills and professional discipline to turn that passion into a real business. It taught me to understand food at a deeper level — the science, the technique, the precision — and that knowledge underpins everything I do, from developing a new chilli sauce recipe to catering a private dinner."
What advice would you give to someone looking to follow in your footsteps?
"Be bold and be patient — you need both in equal measure. Do not wait until everything is perfect before you start. Get into the kitchen, get to the markets, talk to your customers, and learn as you go. The skills you gain at a place like Le Cordon Bleu are something no one can ever take away from you. And stay true to your food identity. My Singaporean-Malaysian heritage is my greatest asset — own your story, because nobody else has it."
Please describe your current role
"I wear many hats! I am the founder, chef, producer, and market trader all in one. I run the Joli brand across multiple channels — the Borough Market stall, weekly farmers and lunch markets across London, a range of artisan jarred products and chilli sauces, and a private catering arm where I cook for events, celebrations, and private dining. It is a full, hands-on business and I am involved in every part of it."
What does your day-to-day look like?
"No two days are ever the same, which is honestly one of the things I love most. A typical day might start very early in the kitchen — prepping rendang, cooking down sauces, filling and labelling jars. Then I might be setting up a market stall, serving customers, and telling the story of Singaporean food to someone who has never tried it before. In between, I am planning menus for upcoming events, responding to catering enquiries, and thinking about new products. It is full-on, but it is my passion so it never feels like just a job."
What is the most challenging aspect of your job?
"Running an independent food business in London is not for the faint-hearted. The logistics alone — sourcing quality ingredients, managing production, transporting to multiple markets weekly — require enormous organisation. And as a founder, the responsibility for everything falls on you, but I am blessed to have my husband who is now helping me. There are days when the weather is against you at an outdoor market or an event gets cancelled last minute. Resilience is everything. You have to learn to adapt quickly and keep going."
What part of the role are you most passionate about?
"Without question, it is sharing Malaysian and Singaporean food culture with people. Every time a customer tries my rendang for the first time and their eyes light up — that moment never gets old. Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine are so rich and complex and still relatively underrepresented on the London food scene. I feel a real sense of purpose in being an ambassador for it. And when Joli was named the Great Taste Producer, it was validation that this food deserves its place among the very best."
Why did you decide to get involved in the Alumni chapter?
"Because community matters. When I was starting out, I would have valued so much having a network of people who understood the journey — the challenges, the sacrifices, the rewards. Getting involved in the Alumni chapter is my way of giving back and staying connected to something that shaped me. I also genuinely believe that the connections you make through a network like this can open doors you never even knew existed."
What benefits are there to staying connected with the school and the alumni network?
"The network is incredibly powerful. You are connected to culinary professionals, food entrepreneurs, chefs, and industry leaders from all over the world. That means opportunities for collaboration, mentorship, knowledge sharing, and support. The food industry can be isolating when you are running your own business, so having a community that understands your world is invaluable. And staying connected to Le Cordon Bleu keeps you inspired and accountable to the standards you were trained to uphold."
You have also been involved in the Scholarship programme — why do you think the Le Cordon Bleu Scholarship is important?
"It is life-changing, plain and simple. Not everyone who has the talent and the dream also has the financial means to access world-class culinary training. The scholarship removes that barrier. I think about the next generation of chefs and food entrepreneurs — many of them from diverse backgrounds, with extraordinary food stories to tell — and I want them to have every opportunity to develop their craft at the highest level. The scholarship makes that possible, and I am proud to support it."
What does Le Cordon Bleu mean to you?
"Le Cordon Bleu is where my dream became real. It is the place that took everything I felt about food — all the memories, the flavours, the culture I grew up with — and gave me the tools to build something lasting from it. It is more than a qualification. It is a mindset, a standard, a lifelong connection to a global community of people who are as serious about food as I am. I carry it with me every single day, in every jar I fill and every plate I serve."
Inspired by Salina’s journey? Find out how you can follow in her footsteps by learning more about our Diplôme de Cuisine or by visiting our programmes page to view the full list of courses available and start your culinary journey today.
