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The Madam Kwan's Legacy
Tatler Malaysia
|August 2023
Datin Maureen Ooi, CEO of the beloved chain of restaurants, chats about building and honouring her mother-in-law's legacy
Known for its vibrant Malaysian fare that includes its famous renditions of nasi bojari and nasi lemak, Madam Kwan’s is a household name in Malaysia. The family-run restaurant boasts 16 outlets across the country, 12 of which are in the Klang Valley alone.
The woman responsible for the delicious flavours at Madam Kwan’s is Kwan Swee Lian, who is often seen with her trademark hat, glasses, and sweet smile. She started her career in the food industry in 1977 and now runs Madam Kwan’s alongside her son, Datuk Rudy Foo, and daughter-in-law, Datin Maureen Ooi.
Kwan was a beautician in the 1950s with her own beauty salon, Sakura Salon. Two decades later, the salon was transformed into Sakura Restaurant, which marked her debut in the F&B industry. Sakura was well-known for its nasi lemak but it folded in 1997.
This story is from the August 2023 edition of Tatler Malaysia.
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