THE hotel industry is among the sectors most badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Many hotel employees lost their income when operations ceased along with the dearth of tourism. Some were retrenched and others face drastic salary cuts as hotels struggle to stay afloat.
Such was the situation with Muhammad Hafiz Baharel, 34, who had to give up his job as a hotel front desk officer at a well-known hotel in Kuala Lumpur several months after the pandemic hit, followed by the imposition of the movement control order (MCO) nationwide.
“Although I was lucky that I was not terminated from my job, my salary was reduced and at the same time, I was asked to take on two or three additional responsibilities when the hotel decided to scale down its operations. I was not happy with that situation as I was working more for a lesser salary.
“So, after 15 years in the hotel industry, I decided to quit the job in September last year and ventured into the business of selling food,” said Hafiz, who started a stall that he named Hafiz Kitchen.
He tried many types of food including chicken fried rice, pulut kuning with chicken rendang, but everything failed.
But he refused to accept failure and kept trying with different menus and food.
He had a lucky break when he sold drinks and kuih tepung pelita at the Ramadan bazaar a few months ago.
“There, several housewives who lived around my housing area in Old Klang Road came to my stall and asked if I could help them sell their kuih. They wanted to place their food products in my stall and said if they are not sold out, then they will take the food packets back.
“I thought it was a good idea since I did not have to put in the capital and only take commission from the sales.
“That’s how the idea to start the Hafiz Kitchen stall came about and I started selling breakfast items such as nasi lemak, fried bihun and kuih, all prepared by these housewives,” he said.
Starting the Hafiz Kitchen
The Hafiz Kitchen stall that opened for business three months ago at Taman Petaling Jaya Utama offers many types of breakfast items.
Apart from nasi lemak, fried bihun, fried mee, the stall also offers more than 15 types of kuih such as curry puff, doughnut, sarang semut, apam, sari ayu, talam ubi, talam tepung, talam cendol, talam keladi, kole kacang, seri muka, kuih lapis, kuih bakar, onde-onde, getas, keria, peniaram and kuih bom (with coconut and red bean filling).
Hafiz Kitchen stall also offers laksam, pulut kuning chicken rendang, sandwich, sardine bread and cheese sausage bread. The items are sold for between RM1.50 to RM5.
Hafiz said he always ensures that the product quality is never compromised and sources from housewives who only supply to his stall.
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“I am very thankful that these housewives, whom I call kakak (elder sister), are helping me by preparing these food items for me to sell. Truth be told, without them, I would not be able to open this stall. My food business is very much dependent on them. So is my income,” he added.
“After I started this stall, many approached me asking if they could also place their food products in my stall and asked me to help to sell. I usually agree as long as the food items are different from what I currently sell. I also would taste the food and only agree to sell if it’s tasty,” he said.
He said the Petaling Jaya Utama area is a strategic business location as people pass by the place every morning on their way to work.
“My concept of grab and go seems to work well especially among those rushing to work in the mornings,” said Hafiz, who also sells burgers in the evenings at Sri Sentosa.
He said it will be a great relief if he can expand and set up his food business at a permanent food kiosk.
“I also hope this publicity given to the stall can help me to improve my business which will not only be beneficial to me but also to the housewives who depend on me,” he added.
To support Hafiz, visit him at Jalan PJS 1/26, Taman Petaling Utama Jaya, Petaling Jaya from 7am to 10.30am. – The Vibes, September 7, 2021
#PetraKasih is an initiative under the Vinod Sekhar Foundation to assist and promote food stalls and small traders, including home-based businesses, during the pandemic. Each week, Getaran will highlight the plight of different food traders. If you know a food stall or small trader in your area and feel they deserve to be featured, contact us at [email protected].
* This story first appeared in our Malay-language sister portal Getaran.
