Born in Penang, Malaysia, Norman moved to the United Kingdom in 1994 to study in Quantity Surveying. After graduated with Honours, he worked in the construction industry for 9 years before switching his career to a full time chef. His first restaurant was opened in Manchester in 2006 and York in 2012, followed by two more in Malaysia in 2014 and 2016. ​In 2010, Norman joined the Formula One Lotus team travelling around the world to cook for the team.