Fikri Jalil recalls the "magic measuring cup" his mother used in the kitchen to make kuih raya and that's when it all began. Today, he is the owner of Galanggal Cafe, one of the few restaurants in Ipoh serving curated Southern European cuisine to a 25-seater space. He might or might not be (still) using the same cup. In this episode, we dive into how we should not just stir-fry everything, the stigma around Malay employees and the reality of pay wage in F&B in some rural parts of Malaysia.
“In kampung, people get paid RM35 per day working for 12 hours. This is the reality of Malaysia that people don’t see.” - Chef Fikri Jalil
00:00 - Guest Introduction
01:09 - Growing up in a laid back city - Ipoh
02:47 - Must-try Nasi Ganja and Mee Kicap in Ipoh
04:15 - “I wanted to become a National Geographic photographer.”
05:34 - The magic cup my mom owns in the kitchen
07:20 - Dropping out of college and working part-time in F&B
10:21 - “It’s all about teamwork.”
12:39 - My first promotion at the basement of a hotel
16:30 - His thoughts on the stigma around Malay employees in F&B
20:02 - When did you know it was time to go home?
24:37 - How Galanggal started from a street stall
27:21 - Getting over doubtful thoughts
28:40 - Galanggal’s concept
30:40 - Creating dishes: Travelling online by watching independent YouTubers
33:36 - What is fusion cooking?
36:10 - Sourcing ingredients & herbs from home garden
38:28 - Respect the ingredients and don’t just stir-fry everything
40:30 - The best way to cook a cabbage
43:04 - The need to learn new things wakes me up in the morning
44:37 - Challenges in starting a restaurant in Ipoh
46:40 - Developing bold seasonal flavours
47:35 - Are Ipohrians more open to spending more $ on good food?
49:00 - Working 12 hours & getting paid RM35 per day
51:09 - Advice for you who wants to start your own F&B
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