By Wilfred Pilo
Every morning, 60-year-old Gan Pueh Hong rises before dawn to source the freshest mackerel from his supplier, believing that exceptional pan mee begins with quality ingredients.
For the past 18 years, Gan has been serving traditional Chinese-style pan mee at his stall, Da Jia Hao, in Belly + Kopitiam at RH Plaza in Kuching, where his commitment to quality starts long before his first customer arrives.
The name ‘Da Jia Hao’, which means ‘hello, everyone’ in Mandarin, reflects the warm welcome he extends to every customer. His signature dish features handmade flat egg noodles served in a rich, savoury broth with flavourful minced mackerel.
Although the noodles are rolled using a machine, Gan said the fish is painstakingly processed by hand—a labour-intensive task he finds deeply rewarding.
“The preparation is demanding because everything starts with fresh ingredients, and the noodles take a lot of time and patience,” Gan told DayakDaily.
“The most important thing is making sure customers enjoy a hearty bowl of pan mee. That’s why they keep coming back.”
Before venturing into the food business, Gan spent more than 20 years in the kitchenware and home appliance industry. Between 1988 and 1989, he worked as a microwave instructor for an international company in Kuala Lumpur.
His career later brought him to Indonesia and Brunei, where he met his wife, known as Mdm Teng, who was then employed by a private company.
After retiring from the industry, Gan decided to turn his passion for cooking into a business.
“I wanted to earn a livelihood while doing something meaningful, so I decided to make pan mee and open this stall,” he said.
Gan recalled that when he started the business 18 years ago, there were few pan mee stalls in Kuching, making it an ideal opportunity to venture into the trade—one he has since grown to love.
A self-taught cook, he spent years refining his recipes to suit local tastes. Today, he offers eight varieties of pan mee, with the fresh mackerel soup remaining the favourite among his regular customers.
Although none of his children has expressed interest in taking over the business, Gan has no plans to retire anytime soon.
“As long as I still enjoy cooking and my customers enjoy eating my pan mee, I’ll continue,” he said.
Da Jia Hao is located at Belly + Kopitiam in the RH Plaza commercial centre. It is open daily from 8am to 1pm and 5pm to 9pm. For enquiries, customers may contact 012-345 1966. — DayakDaily
