There are plenty of F&B establishments all around the world, and of course, right here in Malaysia alone. From small roadside stalls to grand, luxurious, fine-dining; it’s never dull when you’re trying to hunt for food to eat. However, not all food establishments offer the same thing, and if you’re looking for quality, comfort food that is healthy and prepared sustainably, Chiu’s is where they have it all!
About Chiu’s
A modern cafe eatery, Chiu’s works closely with local produce and ingredients, incorporating them into modern dishes such as pasta and risotto. Eugene founded Chiu’s, and it officially launched in January 2017. Having spent almost 7 years abroad in UK for his studies, Eugene was inspired by the F&B scene over there, which led to a passion for food and coffee. He knew then that he wanted to contribute to the local F&B scene when he returned, so he worked through a couple of corporate jobs to gain management experiences, while writing about food on his personal blog as an approach to the F&B industry itself. Within a few years, Eugene discovered an opportunity to embark on a new journey in his hometown, Kota Kinabalu, and therefore Chiu’s was born!
Local Produce x International Techniques
Chiu’s hopes to create an impact in the F&B scene by changing the viewpoint on local ingredients, and also to utilise and embrace them in modern cuisine. By supporting and appreciating local produce and ingredients, Chiu’s is able to lend support to local farmers and suppliers, which ensures long-term sustainability. Three members form Chiu’s core team: Eugene himself, Joanne the manager, and Safyan the head chef. They have been involved with Chiu’s since the very beginning, and put together their respective skills to build Chiu’s up, ranging from crafting beverages (in particular coffee!) to culinary skills involving classic French techniques. When at Chiu’s, remember to check out their best-selling Chiu’s Beef Rice Bowl: local brown rice, pickled papaya, tuhau serunding, and sunny-side up topped with a grilled marinated Australian rib-eye. They also have a mushroom risotto comprised of three types of local mushrooms: Shiitake, Oyster and Shimeji.
Healthy Food, Quality Beverages
The local market is still quite conservative when it comes to food choices, and Chiu’s is aiming to expose them to a wider range of food. Sometimes the local market finds it hard to appreciate and understand food they have yet to be exposed to, and Chiu’s unique food offerings fall into that category. In Sabah, eateries like Chiu’s is still a minority, though they do have customers who appreciate healthy food and quality beverages with an enjoyable, air-conditioned environment. Chiu’s highly values customer experiences, and from time to time, they give back to their loyal customers. Besides educating the local market on food choices, they also face a challenge in finding talents to work in the F&B field.
Towards Sustainability, In All Manners
Chiu’s aims to maintain the standard of their food as they carry on, and to expand their business in different forms or concepts, though still focused on sustainability. In the few years since their launch, they have been featured on different media platforms including Malaysia Airline’s Going Places magazine. More importantly, they are proud and happy to share that there are a lot of returning customers, where 80% of their current customers are returning ones. As they go on and business stabilises, they would love to connect with like-minded individuals, expanding their team and ideology.
“My personal belief of a successful F&B business is sustainability. Sustainability in terms of food quality, ingredients and service, which contributes to the overall dining experience in a place.” – Eugene from Chiu’s
For delicious, healthy, modern food, check out Chiu’s – The Modern Local!
