For Samuel Teh, Joshua Aaron Marks, and Ben Chew, the journey from company dissatisfaction to working their very own profitable restaurant, The Charcoal Grill (TCG), has been nothing in need of a culinary journey.
These three associates, every with their very own numerous backgrounds, got here along with a shared imaginative and prescient: to interrupt free from the constraints of company life and construct one thing uniquely their very own.
Samuel holds a level in Enterprise Administration & Advertising from Taylor’s Lakeside College. His profession spanned telemarketing, insurance coverage advertising and marketing, and even driving for Seize.
Whereas Joshua, with a level in Hospitality & Culinary, discovered his calling within the company world earlier than deciding that the kitchen was his real love.
Ben got here from a background in Mass Communication at Segi College and labored in numerous fields from IT deployment to Uber driving. Collectively, they launched into a journey that started with a easy thought and developed right into a thriving restaurant enterprise.
Samuel, the director of the enterprise, advised Vulcan Put up, “The three of us share the same mindset—we don’t like to be controlled, we’re stubborn, and we don’t like taking orders or instructions from others. Our only way out was to start something of our own.”
A lamb shoulder that modified every thing
Joshua planted the seeds of TCG throughout Christmas gatherings at his place, the place he would organise BBQs that includes his signature marinated New Zealand lamb shoulder.
Samuel, not a fan of lambs attributable to his Chinese language zodiac being that of a goat, had a revelation after tasting Joshua’s creation.
His query, “Why the heck are you not selling this?” was the spark that ignited the dream of TCG.
The preliminary plan was to begin with a meals truck, however after contemplating the prices and challenges, they pivoted to a extra possible possibility—a kopitiam stall.
“Food trucks are too easily affected by weather, and knowing Malaysians, we complain when it’s too hot, we complain when it’s raining too much, we complain when it’s too cold,” he mentioned.
Beginning with a hawker stall appeared like a sensible alternative. It provided a low startup value and excessive foot site visitors, permitting them to check their market with minimal monetary threat, he shared.
The trio confronted the cruel actuality of working a hawker stall, however their dedication and imaginative and prescient saved them going.
“We initially weren’t confident with ourselves and the product, hence why we kick-started with hawker stall. It was merely a safety net for us, should it fail, we would not be heavily in debt,” mentioned Samuel.
Their preliminary success and help from the Kota Kemuning neighborhood impressed them to open extra stalls in Subang SS14, Bandar Rimbayu, and Bandar Parklands, though this enlargement was short-lived.
Regardless of the success, the dream of proudly owning a restaurant remained robust. After years of grinding within the hawker scene, the staff determined to make the leap to a full-fledged restaurant.
This shift was not nearly altering their enterprise mannequin but additionally about enhancing the shopper expertise.
They needed to supply extra than simply meals—they needed to offer a memorable eating expertise with higher hygiene, service high quality, and atmosphere.
Navigating the challenges of the pandemic and enlargement
The pandemic offered a major problem, forcing many companies to rethink their methods. TCG when it was nonetheless working as a hawker stall tailored by shifting to frozen merchandise, leveraging their marinated meats to satisfy the rising demand for home-cooked meals.
The introduction of vacuum-sealed packaging and partnerships with retailers allowed them to remain afloat throughout these difficult instances.
The shift in shoppers, with an elevated give attention to dwelling cooking and grocery buying, supplied an sudden alternative.
TCG’s potential to adapt and innovate in response to those adjustments helped them climate the storm and emerge stronger.
The transition from a hawker stall to a restaurant was additionally stuffed with challenges.
He mentioned, “We faced a huge rise in operating costs—about five times the cost of operating in the hawker stall—and not knowing if the revenue could cover this increase worried us.”
Plus, managing a restaurant requires new abilities and information. The renovation course of, from format planning to inside design, was a major endeavor.
“During hawker days, we only had to make sure the quality of food was right. Upon moving into a restaurant, we had to ensure the quality of service was met, food quality was up to standard, shop cleanliness, and more. These are just on the surface level.”
“From the management end, there was more paperwork and we had to learn to manage the company cash flow properly with more purchases and salaries to pay,” Samuel famous.
Even with these challenges, their give attention to sustaining excessive meals high quality and buyer satisfaction remained unwavering.
Discovering their area of interest
In a market saturated with Western meals choices, TCG carved out its area of interest through the use of charcoal to grill its meat dishes.
“We found that there was not any mid-range Western restaurant in the Klang Valley that cooks their meat dishes using charcoal. The ones that use charcoal to grill are mainly higher-end steakhouses, Korean BBQ restaurants, Japanese BBQ restaurants, or Thai BBQ Restaurants,” Samuel shared.
So, TCG noticed a possibility to deliver this flavour to a extra accessible, mid-range market. Their dedication to marinated meats, moderately than counting on sauces, set them aside.
“We also find that most of the options provided by restaurants are somewhat similar in terms of flavours. For example, chops served with black pepper sauce, mushroom sauce, Hainanese sauce, and whatnot. For us, the flavours of the meat do not come from the sauce, but from the marinade itself,” Samuel shared.
Therefore, the Signature Marinated Sequence turned an indicator of their menu and it comes with no sauce.
Moreover, TCG’s method to customisation allowed prospects to pick their most popular aspect dishes, providing a personalised eating expertise that stood out from the fastened menu choices of many opponents.
This flexibility, mixed with their distinctive flavours, helped them construct a loyal buyer base.
Increasing horizons and future targets
Regardless of two profitable shops in Damansara Uptown and Kota Kemuning and a rising buyer base, TCG’s imaginative and prescient extends past its present achievements.
They intention to grow to be a best choice for mid-range Western grill eating places in Klang Valley, sustaining their dedication to high quality and affordability.
Enlargement plans embrace opening extra shops in Subang Jaya, Setia Alam, and Cheras, with a give attention to steady enchancment and model recognition.
The staff’s long-term objective is to automate enterprise processes and create higher commonplace working procedures.
They imagine that by staying true to their values and specializing in buyer satisfaction, they will obtain their imaginative and prescient of changing into a trusted identify within the mid-range Western restaurant market.
For these contemplating getting into the meals and beverage business, TCG’s founders provide a candid piece of recommendation: “Don’t. But if you’re determined, ensure you do thorough research, test your product, and seek honest feedback.”
“The F&B business is not a quick path to wealth but a challenging journey that requires dedication, time, and effort,” they shared.
Understanding this, it’s a journey that has paid off for the pushed trio.
You may be taught extra about The Charcoal Grill right here.
Learn different articles we’ve written about Malaysian startups right here.
Featured Picture Credit score: The Charcoal Grill
