Perak: Breaking Free From Fear with Curiosity

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

Timestamps:

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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