OWNING a restaurant has always been a dream of Cynthia De Alwis. Having come from a mixed-race family, the former Miss World Malaysia finalist was exposed to a variety of cuisines, gaining strong knowledge and passion for them.
“My father is Malaysian Sinhalese-Thai and my mother is Chinese. She is Hakka and they are good with their food. My father as well, he was great with Southern Indian food. So, my siblings and I were in tune with different flavours,” Cynthia told theSun.
The goal, however, took a while as Cynthia pursued other ventures. Apart from pageantry and modelling, the Malacca native worked in marketing for various food
and beverage (F&B) brands, starting off as a merchandiser for regular jeans.
“I then moved to F&B, dealing with hoteliers and expats. My job was to work with them on sponsorship. So, I got to work in an environment that exposed me to food and beverages. Whether it was Western or Asian, I got to recognise the depth behind food.”
Lingering aspiration
Through her job, Cynthia travelled to various countries and learned about the preparation behind cuisines. While she found it fulfilling, the passion to launch her own restaurant still lingered in her. Considering the nature of her job, it also felt like a natural transition.
“I thought to myself ‘Why not?’ I am exposed to these things and I love food. My family loves food. But I did not dare to start it. My husband, fortunately, gave me the encouragement to pursue it.”
Along with the encouragement came advice to expect the worst, as he warned her of the potential difficulties. But together with him and her sister Joyce, Cynthia opened her first restaurant Jake’s Charbroil Steaks in Medan Damansara.
Early days
That said, Cynthia maintained her job in marketing, balancing the two responsibilities with the help of Joyce. As things were still uncertain, Cynthia and her husband had to hold onto their day jobs to keep the restaurant afloat.
“We had to guarantee her that we were still able to provide her a paycheck if anything went wrong. My husband was very practical. That is why we kept our day jobs as we were calculated with our risk.”
Yet, Cynthia was sure not to abandon her obligations, helping out Joyce after working hours. She would provide help with the menu, preparation of the food and even jockey duties. So much so that customers would tip her RM50, not knowing that she is the owner.
When asked if the working dynamics affected their relationship, Cynthia noted the trio needed to learn to compromise with one another.
“We had to focus on our common ground, that is our love for food. We used to take matters from the boardroom to the bedroom. That was not good and it is quite common among family members who work together.”
As for the newfound workload, Cynthia was determined to persevere despite how tiring and stressful things became.
“I told myself that ‘I am going to work hard and let things fall on their own’. My parents always taught us to have discipline and hard work. That is what I have carried with me all these years. Even in bad and good times, I keep going.”
Established presence
Fortunately, all of their effort paid off as Jake’s Charbroil Steaks has grown tremendously since, gaining a reputation among Western food enthusiasts. The eatery is often frequented by locals for its quality steaks, prime cuts and seafood.
Jake’s has also expanded throughout the years, earning three other siblings – Jake’s Charbroil Steaks Langkawi, Casa Rosa and Casa Seventeen, all specialising in serving hearty Western flavours.
When prompted for advice, Cynthia urges aspiring restaurant owners to adopt a realistic approach when looking to start their own endeavour.
“You have to think of the worst-case scenario. Be sure to have a back-up plan. You also cannot go in and leave your own business. You have to know your business, know what is happening.”
Finishing strong
Regards to her upcoming plans, Cynthia aims to conclude the year with a grand Christmas and New Year’s celebration. Together with her staff, she has been working hard to introduce Jake’s new Christmas and New Year’s menu.
In addition to its regular items, Jake’s is offering exclusive items such as seared scallops, oven-roasted half spring chicken, lamb shank and NZ mussels with black olive and red peppers, as part of its Christmas and New Year’s celebration.
Outside of her culinary goals, Cynthia hopes to go on more hiking adventures by the end of this year. Whether with friends or by herself, she would love to explore new hiking locations.
