His noodles were used in laksas created by the two top winners – Chok’s Place, which was named the best laksa at the festival, and Asian Pot whose laksa won the People’s Choice award.

“I’m very proud of that,” he says. “I now make champion noodles.”

Ting and his wife Jackie make up to 700 kilograms of noodles a week at their Darwin home and sell them to restaurants, takeaways and market stallholders.

“I’ve got lots of regular customers,” he says. “I have thought about branching out and making other food but decided against it.”

No pun intended, Ting describes making noodles as a “hands-on” job.

“You have to be patient – and it’s hard work, but we don’t mind that. The recipe is quite simple.”

Ting came to Australia from Malaysia 31 years ago to study business and computer science at university – and stayed.

He has owned several takeaway restaurants in Darwin.

Ting and Jackie decided to give up the takeaway business 11 years ago and work from home when the first of their three children was born.

“Working in a restaurant  is very hard – it demands long  hours – and we had a baby at home.” TQ