Dining Duos

We speak to three business partners in the dining industry who shed light on how they separate work and personal life to maintain a healthy relationship

- Katelyn Tan

LIM HENG KIT AND ZIYAN LEE

"We have grown stronger with a clearer alignment for our brand" While they have been business partners for eight years, Lim Heng Kit and Ziyan Lee's friendship began much earlier the two first met while completing their Culinary Management degree at William Angliss Institute in Melbourne. Their first venture in 2016 was contemporary Malaysian eatery Li Restaurant, but they now also run bakery-café Provisions and Locus, an experience-based dining hub.

Lim runs the back of house working with the team of chefs and bakers while Lee's expertise lies in hospitality, providing training to front of house members. "Our friendship is actually a strength when it comes to work," Lee says. While the two connect on their love for the industry, their personalities are different: "Heng Kit is calmer, while I have a lot of energy, which translates into a genuine, good restaurant experience for customers," adds Lee.

The two recognise conflict is common when running any business, but what matters is how it is overcome. "We run weekly meetings with our third partner, Yee Rui Lim, to discuss how we can improve," says Lim. "Over the years we have grown stronger with a clearer alignment for our brand." Lim and Lee hope that they will continue building their restaurant group to offer Malaysians more highquality dining options.