Many of you may know of Candlenut, the world’s first Michelin-starred Peranakan restaurant that serves refined Peranakan cuisine, but did you know it is helmed by an SMU alumnus? Meet Malcolm Lee (BBM, 2009), Chef and Owner of Candlenut. Nursing a passion for cooking since young, Malcolm took the unconventional route of going to university, before embarking on culinary school and starting a restaurant in 2010. Things were not always smooth-sailing in the beginning, as he toiled and strove to build up Candlenut. In the process of garnering acclaim and foodie fans from near and far, Candlenut was awarded one Michelin star in 2016. Winning this coveted star was bittersweet, unfortunately, an acknowledgment he makes wistfully. Armed with a new perspective in life, Malcolm continued to inspire, innovate and focus on what he loves most -- feeding his customers and making them happy. It is heartening to hear that Malcolm attributes SMU as the birthplace of his decision to start Candlenut, and that his experiences at SMU shaped that resolve. We at SMU could not be prouder of him.
Hi Malcolm! Could you share with us about the experience of setting up Candlenut after graduation from SMU?
There are two parts to this story: firstly, as a Peranakan, I grew up surrounded by food - the family would eat together, my grandma, mother, and aunts would cook together, and every Chinese New Year was a large affair. So I have always loved food and cooking. As I grew older, I became more appreciative of the Peranakan culture as well. Some people may have the perception that Peranakan cuisine is "old-fashioned", or only for families. I wanted to change that perception, and I envisioned Candlenut to be a Peranakan restarurant where you could bring your date, or celebrate special occasions, or even have weddings at. I wanted to elevate the cuisine.
The second part was actually the opportunity to run a student-owned cafe, Frujch, at SMU, during my undergraduate days. This inspired me to pursue culinary school. Sometimes, I look back and think that I had started the business too young, and cooking too late. To be honest, it feels more like stupidity rather than bravery that led me to open a restaurant so soon after graduation. However, I guess being "stupid" also had its advantages - it drove me to just start, and just do it, rather than think too much and not get started at all.
It was tough at the beginning, and I did not draw any salary during the beginning. I only gave a small allowance of $500 to myself for the first few years - even my part-timers were paid more than me!! But, at least the perks of working in a restaurant were that all of my meals were settled! (Laughs) At the start, I used to even sleep over at the restaurant, so I that could get more rest, and save time and money traveling to go home. It was really tough in the beginning, but money was never a driving force. I just wanted to cook good Peranakan food, and as all chefs do, I wanted to see guests happy. That drove me to do better everyday. After six years in the business in 2016, the restaurant finally broke even.
(Malcolm with his beloved crew at Candlenut @Dempsey)
Wow. That sounds like an incredible toughjourney at the start. We are really glad you persisted, because Candlenut was awarded its first Michelin star in 2016. Was winning a star -- the F&B industry's highest form of accolade and regconition -- a form of validation for all your efforts?
Well, yes, it was some form of validation. But to be honest, what I learned from receiving the award was a very important lesson.
In the six years before we were awarded the Michelin star, a lot of things had been sacrificed - I worked too long, and too hard, and my relationships with my family and loved ones all suffered. Some people might know that I actually experienced a heartbreak in 2016, around the same period that we received the award. So when I received the Michelin star, I actually felt nothing. We had achieved so much for the restaurant, but I had lost so much in the areas that mattered the most.
After that episode, I had changed the way I did things at Candlenut over the past few years. There is a tendency amongst chefs to over-glorify long working hours. However, I felt that it should not be the way. We are professionals, after all, and there is a way to tweak our operations, such that we can achieve some form of work-life balance. I always ask my staff: who do you really want to make happy? Your guests? Or your family, friends, children, and loved ones? If you made the guests happy at the expense of spending time with your loved ones, it would lead to a vicious cycle where your unhappiness at home would spread to your work. Thus I would always emphasise being clear about the true people we want to delight.
That said, sometimes I wish we had 60 hours in a day, so that we could do more R&D. With lunch services lasting up to four hours, and dinner services up to five (not even counting prep work), we could easily burn 14 hours a day at work. So I really wish we had more time in a day!!
(Malcolm inside the beautifully decorated Candlenut restaurant)
Setting up Candlenut, did you face any resistance along the way (from peers or family)?
Oh yes, indeed. The resistance wasn't so much about actually setting up a restaurant (because by then, most of my family and friends have already figured out that this was going to happen!); it was the fact that I wanted to start a PERANAKAN restaurant. Most people questioned me: "Why Peranakan cuisine?" If you don't already know, Peranakans are fiercely protective of their cuisine, and are critical of Peranakan food prepared by 'outsiders'. No one can ever match Granny's or Mummy's cooking. It can never be better, or as authentic etc. So, I was fully aware of the inherent challenges presented by such perceptions held by Peranakan customers, but I still went ahead anyway because my favourite food in the world is Peranakan food, being a Peranakan myself.
How had SMU’s university education added to your experience of owning a restaurant?
To be honest, after my first year at SMU, I wanted to quit because I had absolutely no interest in what I was studying. I had already filled in the form to terminate my studies, but my mum cried, and begged me to continue, saying that it had always been her dream for me to complete my university studies. I eventually relented, and I am glad I listened to her because SMU had a tremendous impact on my decision to start Candlenut.
Of course, SMU provided me with academic knowledge, from learning about strategy, marketing to supply chain matters. However, what impacted me more were the out-of-classroom experiences. For example, from my internship, I learn that I didn't enjoy nor want a desk-bound office job. That was very clear. There were two major turning points whilst at SMU that convinced me that I was destined to become a chef and own a restaurant.
(i) Work-Travel trip to USA
In the summer, I had the opportunity to embark on a work-travel trip to Washington, D.C., deployed to work at Starbucks. During that time, I wasn't earning enough at Starbucks, so I decided to find an additional job at a nearby burger-and-steak bistro. As I had zero experience in the kitchen, they told me that I could do prep work, like cutting lettuces, onions etc. However, on my first day of work, the kitchen was so understaffed that they instructed me to start cooking. I was stunned. Imagine being thrown into the deep end of the pool. But guess what? I LOVED IT. I loved the pressure, the teamwork, staff shouting out orders, the chaos etc. It was a very eye-opening, invaluable experience that fuelled my dream.
(ii) Running Frujch, the student cafe at SMU
Frujch was a student-led initiative, run by students for students. Started by three friends, I was somehow roped into becoming their chef in charge of operations and food. To be certain, running Frujch was different compared to an actual restaurant, because there was a lot of support from SMU (for instance, we didn't have to pay rent, etc.). Expectations were also lower, and we didn't have to provide salaries to staff who depended on you. We were making profits but had to close Frujch eventually because all of us were graduating. On the last day of operations, the student body came in droves to support our final day. The line was monstrously long. As I was cooking and frying, I overheard students praising our food, thanking us for feeding them for the last couple of years, and remarking that they will miss us. It suddenly struck me -- I didn't enjoy cooking because of the desire to create good food. The satisfaction and fulfilment actually came from connecting with customers, seeing their joy, appreciating the food. It was a very powerful epiphany, indeed. I will say that it was the final day at Frujch that directly solidified my decision to start Candlenut upon graduation. (Editor's note: WOW!)
(Bottom two rows: Malcolm during his Frujch days at SMU. Top right photo: Malcolm with the three ladies who started Frujch at Candlenut)
Did you face any negative naysayers along the way, and if yes, how did you overcome them?
Oh yeah, definitely. I get comments like "My grandmother can cook better than you!", and I always respond, "Yes, she might be able to, but can she cook for two meal services a day in a restaurant?" There is a huge difference in cooking for your family, and running lunch and dinner services a day as well as ensuring consistently high quality day in and day out. It's really no joke.
Also, as our customers' tastebuds change over the years, we sometimes get comments like "It's too sweet!" when previously, they didn't find it sweet even though the recipe is exactly the same. I completely understand -- our tastebuds *do* change; people now prefer less sugar, less oil in their food, and prefer brown rice instead. So we adapt. My Chendol Cream dessert has undergone three recipe tweaks over the years to suit our customers' preferences.
Now that Candlenut is approaching its 10th anniversary, what are your plans for the restaurant and for yourself?
Has it been 10 years? Wow. At the moment, I still want to focus on Candlenut. By that I mean I want to continually improve the customer's dining experience at our outlet. I also want to improve on our products; you see, our food has to be the driving force. I feel that there is still room for improvement when it comes to taste, so it's all about constantly evaluating and tweaking the recipes, do more R&D etc.I don't have plans at the moment to expand our restaurant overseas, but if there is a right partner on the ground in another country, why not? (smiles) But it has to be for the right reasons, and the partnership must feel right.
(Malcolm with his Candlenut team)
Do you have any advice for your SMU juniors who might be aspiring to start their own F&B establishments?
Okay, there are many cliché advice, like "Work hard"! Or "Don't give up"! "Follow your dream!" (Laughs)
(Looks at us squarely in the eye) However, I have only one piece of advice, which is this -- Find your true passion. You see, we all have passions. But what is your TRUE passion? You may like cooking or eating, but you don't need to open a restaurant! There are many aspects to the F&B industry -- you can start a blog, or be in food PR, run events, for instance. For me, I discovered that my true passion was being people-oriented; I love engaging with my customers, and seeing people enjoy my food made me happiest. So I KNEW I had to become a chef and start my own restaurant.
Don't ever lose sight of your true passion -- it will be the only thing that pushes you forward when times are hard, and you are down. Trust me, reminding myself of my true passion was what kept me going all these years.
