Foodies get innovative, to say the least

Malaysia is a foodie nation. We love our local and international delicacies, and we don’t mind driving for hours to have the perfect nasi lemak or ikan bakar.
Blessed with different races, Malaysia has always been a unique food destination for tourists, which in turn provides fertile ground for those looking to set up food-based businesses. Malaysians don’t mind paying top dollar for good food and they don’t mind travelling for it.
Following a rise in the number of the small food-based businesses and the health-food industry, The Star has been highlighting a series of companies that are venturing in, such as the Mofaz Group of Companies.
The conglomerate, under its Mofaz Heritage Food range, is trying its hand in the health-food business with the launch of Hakka Salt Baked Chicken, a famous Hakka dish that is said to have been created some 300 years ago by the salt miners of Guangdong, China.
Firms such as Red Mango and Snow Factory are also booming. And, more recently, the popularity of coffee has given birth to many independent coffeehouses that serve healthy food.
Seeing an opportunity in the trend for alternative eating experiences and food delights, a trio of young entrepreneurs, under the brand name of Makan Sampai Mampus, have launched three different food brands, each with its own unique identity.
Ezwan Aimann Abdullah Faiz, 30; Muhammad Azim Abdul Rahman, 27; and Mohamed Najee Ramli, 24, each brought their personalities into the business venture, creating a recipe for success.
Calling himself the company’s “chief eating officer”, serial entrepreneur Aimann had many forays into industries such as media, advertising, event-organising and publishing before venturing into F&B with Makan Sampai Mampus.
An avid globetrotter, he was on a trek to South America when he came across huge curry puffs known there as empanadas. Each is a whole meal on its own, and Aimann felt that it would make a wholesome fast-food meal.
“Our Crzypuff is seven inches of stuffed awesomeness,” says Aimann. “We wanted to break the norm and offer something big.”
With flavours such as Loco Lamb, Brit Bonkers, Wacky Yankee, Wild Popeye, Cukoo-Dang, Gila Classic, Mad Monkey and iPuff, Crzypuff breaks away from the usual stuffing that curry puffs contain.
“Crzypuffs on their own can be a meal and they can also be shared with a friend, since they break cleanly. They are also perfect for meetings and can be eaten anytime of the day,” says Aimann.
Crzy chef Muhd Azim started off studying aircraft engineering, but found his passion not in maintaining rotating turbine blades, but rather swinging his own blades around the kitchen.
Upon completing his internship in 2011 at the Dorint Parkhotel in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrwiler, Germany, he had a few stints in local restaurants before masterminding Makan Sampai Mampus with the ambition of introducing different cuisine to the local market.
He joined with Mohd Najee and Fit Food KL and Mexi Warong were born. “Malaysians love casual dining experiences. They love to keep it simple and just hang out,” said Muhd Azim.
What started as a food-truck idea soon evolved into a hybrid warong that serves simple Mexican food. (A warong, or warung, is a casual eatery, usually family-run.) “We wanted a place where people could come together and just be with their friends. So we placed a signboard saying ‘No Wifi – Talk to each other’,” says Mohd Najee.
Called Thyme Out, the Mexi-warong also has a bring-your-own-chair policy. Located in SS15, Subang Jaya, Mexi-warong takes over each evening from the famous Subang rojak stall that operates in the daytime.
Not wanting to be left out from the healthy food trend that is taking over Malaysia, Makan Sampai Mampus also has FitFood KL, a delivery service.
“FitFood KL started after one of my friends, a fitness instructor, wanted to get his students to eat healthily. He called me up to ask if I could come up with something,” says Muhd Azim.
Combining lean proteins and complex carbohydrates, FitFood KL has a series of meals suitable for those looking for a healthy lifestyle. The price is competitive too.