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Promoting Malaysian cuisine overseas
By VASANTHA GANESAN
February 3 2006
ENTREPRENEUR-cum-restaurateur Low Chin Meng, who joined Tourism Malaysia in promoting Malaysian cuisine abroad via the swanky Awana Chelsea Restaurant in London, plans more openings in Paris, Moscow and Tokyo.
The openings are expected to be based on the same partnership as the RM8 million restaurant in London, where Pempena Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Tourism Malaysia, has a 45 per cent stake while the remaining is held by Low and another individual.
"We are eyeing Paris, Moscow and Tokyo. The restaurant in Paris should happen by the end of the year and the other two within the first half of 2007," Low told Business Times.
The Malaysian businessman lists his main occupation as the group managing director of LCL Corp Bhd, a listed investment-holding conglomerate principally involved in interior fit-out industries around the globe.
He hopes the other three new restaurants in the pipeline will follow the Awana Chelsea model in terms of equity ownership.
The restaurants, which will all carry the Awana name, will focus on Malaysian cuisine and fusion style food and will be on a fine dining concept with a seating capacity of between 100 and 150.
On the performance of the Awana Chelsea, he said the restaurant is performing better than expected.
Low had approached Tourism Malaysia when he heard that its board decided to promote Malaysia via its food and cuisine.
"I approached them early last year and proposed the venue to them and the capital we needed. We also identified a local (Malaysian) in London as another partner," he said.
Awana Chelsea, with a seating capacity of 100, opened in November last year.
Low is also involved in Hillview Seafood Restaurants Sdn Bhd, which runs the Fortuna Palace Seafood Restaurant and Fortuna Palace Steamboad City Restaurant in Kajang.
The group also runs Little Penang in Hyderabad, India, and Beijing, China. These restaurants serve Malaysian Chinese food.
By VASANTHA GANESAN
February 3 2006
ENTREPRENEUR-cum-restaurateur Low Chin Meng, who joined Tourism Malaysia in promoting Malaysian cuisine abroad via the swanky Awana Chelsea Restaurant in London, plans more openings in Paris, Moscow and Tokyo.
The openings are expected to be based on the same partnership as the RM8 million restaurant in London, where Pempena Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Tourism Malaysia, has a 45 per cent stake while the remaining is held by Low and another individual.
"We are eyeing Paris, Moscow and Tokyo. The restaurant in Paris should happen by the end of the year and the other two within the first half of 2007," Low told Business Times.
The Malaysian businessman lists his main occupation as the group managing director of LCL Corp Bhd, a listed investment-holding conglomerate principally involved in interior fit-out industries around the globe.
He hopes the other three new restaurants in the pipeline will follow the Awana Chelsea model in terms of equity ownership.
The restaurants, which will all carry the Awana name, will focus on Malaysian cuisine and fusion style food and will be on a fine dining concept with a seating capacity of between 100 and 150.
On the performance of the Awana Chelsea, he said the restaurant is performing better than expected.
Low had approached Tourism Malaysia when he heard that its board decided to promote Malaysia via its food and cuisine.
"I approached them early last year and proposed the venue to them and the capital we needed. We also identified a local (Malaysian) in London as another partner," he said.
Awana Chelsea, with a seating capacity of 100, opened in November last year.
Low is also involved in Hillview Seafood Restaurants Sdn Bhd, which runs the Fortuna Palace Seafood Restaurant and Fortuna Palace Steamboad City Restaurant in Kajang.
The group also runs Little Penang in Hyderabad, India, and Beijing, China. These restaurants serve Malaysian Chinese food.
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Restaurants to promote gourmet tourism
February 3 2006
TOURISM Malaysia's wholly-owned subsidiary, Pempena Sdn Bhd, is identifying restaurants as candidates to promote Malaysia's gourmet tourism.
Pempena is putting to practice the saying "The way to the heart is through the stomach" as it develops the gourmet tourism via restaurants as a marketing vehicle to further brand Malaysia.
It is planning to hold a stake in these restaurants so that it is able to control the quality of the food and service provided.
Tourism Malaysia officials said a budget has been set aside for this purpose. It wants to emulate Thailand, which has managed to promote the country via its restaurants worldwide.
These Malaysian fine- dining restaurants will not only serve Malaysian cuisine but also offer leaflets and Malaysian destination information.
And unlike a one-off event which costs several thousands of ringgit, this type of venture gives continuous publicity to the country.
The restaurant workers are required to know the background of the food, ingredients and its origins to help explain to the customers.
"Through the fine-dining restaurants we hope to target quality tourists to our country. We have other interested parties showing interests as well," a Tourism Malaysia official said.
February 3 2006
TOURISM Malaysia's wholly-owned subsidiary, Pempena Sdn Bhd, is identifying restaurants as candidates to promote Malaysia's gourmet tourism.
Pempena is putting to practice the saying "The way to the heart is through the stomach" as it develops the gourmet tourism via restaurants as a marketing vehicle to further brand Malaysia.
It is planning to hold a stake in these restaurants so that it is able to control the quality of the food and service provided.
Tourism Malaysia officials said a budget has been set aside for this purpose. It wants to emulate Thailand, which has managed to promote the country via its restaurants worldwide.
These Malaysian fine- dining restaurants will not only serve Malaysian cuisine but also offer leaflets and Malaysian destination information.
And unlike a one-off event which costs several thousands of ringgit, this type of venture gives continuous publicity to the country.
The restaurant workers are required to know the background of the food, ingredients and its origins to help explain to the customers.
"Through the fine-dining restaurants we hope to target quality tourists to our country. We have other interested parties showing interests as well," a Tourism Malaysia official said.
