After 52 long years of grilling bakkwa, Michael Ong, owner of Malaysia Singapore Cuisine, has announced that he is planning to retire and is seeking someone to take over his business.
Ong left his Malaysian hometown of Kuala Lumpur at the age of 18 in search of better opportunities in Singapore where he learned the art of making bakkwa.
Bakkwa simply means "dried meat" in the Hokkien dialect and it is an extremely popular meat jerky snack among Singaporeans, Malaysians and Chinese during Chinese New Year.
During the festive season, people are prepared to pay high prices and queue for hours to get it.
Ong learned his bakkwa-making skills while working in Bee Cheng Hiang in Singapore in the early 1970s, one of the most popular bakkwa chains there.
The skills he acquired had been his ticket to starting successful businesses in Malaysia, England and Auckland.
“My dream was for my children to take over the business, but they all have successful careers and this is not something they want to do,” Ong said.
Ong first moved to Auckland in 1989, when he started his first stall selling Malaysian food in Otahuhu.
Within a decade he had opened seven restaurants and food court stalls - with his signature bakkwa available at all of them.
All but the Malaysia Singapore Cuisine stall at Meadowlands Shopping Plaza food court have been sold or closed.
“Age is catching up, I am already in my 70s, and even though my heart wants to go on forever, my body knows I can’t,” he said.
Ong is a pioneer of Malaysian cuisine in Auckland, but his bakkwa distinguishes his eateries from the rest.
Bakkwa's origins can be traced to China's Fujian province when poverty was widespread and pork was considered a luxury meat.
The delicacy was introduced to Malaya by Hokkien immigrants from Fujian, and the dish - known as rou gan to the Chinese - was tweaked to suit local taste.
Ong's Singapore-style bakkwa, where the barbecued meat is minced, shaped into slices and dipped in a sweet marinade before being air-dried and finally grilled over charcoal.
He also offers beef and chicken varieties, plus a spicy pork option.
“In New Zealand people are more health conscious, so I use less fatty pork, no preservatives, no artificial food colouring and also no monosodium glutamate,” Ong said.
Ong said he was looking to sell his business to anyone passionate enough to take over.
He is prepared to share his secret recipes and techniques, train the new owners, and work at the stall beside them until they perfect their bakkwa.
"My children are not interested in spending long hours running restaurants or preparing food, they are very different from me because I didn't have a high education,” he said.
“I am not ashamed to say my bakkwa is unique, and it is the best in Auckland. It is truly a shame if we cannot find someone to carry on the legacy.”
Ong has asked that anyone who is interested in taking on his bakkwa business to contact Chow Luck Club email bee@chowluckclub.com
• Malaysia Singapore Cuisine, Meadowlands Plaza, 112 Whitford Rd, Somerville, https://www.malaysiasingaporecuisine.co.nz/menu
