"Making soy sauce is like taking care of a baby," laughs Shirley Chia, the founder of Mu Artisan Soy Sauce. She is only halfjoking but the intricate process really does take up to nine months and is laborious, requiring time, care and patience. Located in Kajang, the soy sauce factory is filled with around 200 clay urns of different sizes, each containing soy sauce at a different period of fermentation.
As Chia lifts the lid of one of the urns, I am greeted with a distinct, savoury waft. Inside, salt crystals surround darkened soybeans. "My family business has been soy sauce for the past three generations, but the focus was on supplying to restaurants, and we weren't attached to a brand," says the cheery business owner. One wouldn't guess, but Chia spent 11 years in private banking before she began Mu Artisan Soy Sauce in 2019.
"I realised people longed for natural, healthier versions of soy sauce and were turning to imported products," she continues. "Therefore, I wanted to produce premium Malaysian soy sauce with no preservatives, additives, or taste enhancers."
Esta historia es de la edición February 2024 de Tatler Malaysia.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición February 2024 de Tatler Malaysia.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
The 9-karat Charm
Nine-karat jewellery is officially in - here's why you should hop on the bandwagon, according to 'Kin
Spreading Joy
Through fashion, newly minted Rolex Awards for Enterprise Laureate Denica Riadini-Flesch simultaneously empowers rural women and tackles environmental issues in Indonesia
Designs That Reward Observation
Ming Thein, creative director and co-founder of Ming, an independent Kuala Lumpur-based timepiece brand, talks design and inspiration
Daring Designs
From architectural marvels to playfully expressive wonders, Louis Vuitton continues to push the boundaries of High Watchmaking
Threading Wonders
Delve into the sculptural creations of the avant-garde Indian designer known for reviving bridal couture in his hometown
Defying Gravity
Kim Jones puts a spin on the Dior Oblique motif with Dior Gravity leather, redefining iconic bags, shoes and other menswear must-haves
Designer of Futures
Datuk Jimmy Choo trains the younger generation at the JCA, London Fashion Academy
Hello, Dolly!
Wesley Hilton is the founder of Borneo Doll, proudly showcasing Malaysian indigenous tribes through miniature recreations of ancient traditional costumes
Digital Sanctuary
Digital artist Chong Yan Chuah explores concepts such as techno-paganism to imagine worlds that are embedded in alternative cosmologies
One Man's Trash, Another Woman's Art
Nor Tijan's art is a vision of sustainability