By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Oct 8: For the Lim family, their perseverance in managing their cafe businesses in Kota Sentosa was shaped by the example set by their grandfather Lim Hong Huat and his philosophy that a person must be a bit adventurous, enjoy life, be resilient, and be eager to be competitive to progress and find a place in society.
Cafe operator Lim Ming Seng, 51, known fondly as Huat Chai to his family and friends, said that based on his grandfather’s life philosophy, they hope to manage and overcome all the obstacles and challenges in the culinary world and life.
Huat Chai told DayakDaily that the family works and disciplines themselves according to his grandfather’s philosophy as their backbone in life and the culinary world till today.
“I believe that is the reason all of us, the three brothers, who are in the food and beverages businesses, we can continue our late father and grandfather’s legacy.”
He opined that the guidance offered by his grandfather’s principles has helped the family to become well-known for their delectable kolo mee in Kota Sentosa, which has received good reviews from netizens.
Huat Chai revealed that his family is Hainanese Chinese, and his grandfather came from mainland China to Sarawak in search of a new life and seeking culinary adventure.
When his grandfather arrived, he was already equipped with culinary skills and knew how to prepare Western food and other cuisines for his European customers.
Huat Chai also disclosed that his grandfather’s skills in serving good Western dishes got him closely acquainted with many Europeans working in Kuching during the colonial era.
“With enough savings, like all Hainanese who came here, he got his cafe at Kota Sentosa, and soon, my father, Lim Joo Thong, learned the culinary trade from him. My grandfather died at 90 but lived a joyful life and had his adventures from China to Sarawak.
“My father continued his legacy and had learned from him about life, and when he (my father) rented this present cafe in 1975, he named it ‘Huat Huat’ after my grandfather’s last name.
“‘Huat’ in Chinese is similar to the word for ‘prosperity’ and with the hope that our generation and our lineage will prosper for generations to come,” he explained.
Huat Chai revealed he started making kolo mee at the age of 18 after he finished his secondary education in 1991.
“This was my destiny. I watched how my father did it, and I am the third generation making kolo mee.
“Those days, Kota Sentosa had a small population, but the town started bustling with the military personnel, and more people came.
“The business picked up, and later, my father had to make our noodles in 1997, which he knew how to make as we did not have enough supplies then.
“My father showed me how to do it, and I was 24. Once I could handle it, I told him he could relax and enjoy life.”
Huat Chai said they would make 40 kilogrammes of noodles and shared half with his eldest brother, who managed his own cafe at Kota Sentosa.
“Except for my youngest brother, who does not make kolo mee but makes beverages for his cafe in the city. We all managed our own cafes now,” he chuckled.
Huat Chai said when his father died three years ago at the age of 80, he knew he had left a legacy to his three sons.
“Like my grandfather told us, we must enjoy life and its adventures. So many years after he stopped making noodles, he travelled to Taiwan and China with my mother. He had worked hard and deserved a good holiday. My mother is 76 now and is enjoying life and going on holidays.”
Huat Chai said he enjoyed road cycling, a weekend adventure when he is not standing behind a steaming, boiling pot making Kolo Mee.
“I had been doing off-road biking for many years and belong to the Kuching Bike Hash club. We had many trips locally and abroad. That is how I spend my time, doing the sports I love,” he shared.
He added that he would continue making kolo mee and had been doing so for 33 years as he does not expect his three daughters to follow suit.
“I enjoy serving my kolo mee, and my regular patrons have become my friends. I get good feedback from them. They order as takeaways and bring to their destinations acros the country.
“So I know that my kolo mee is not only tasted here but has travelled to many places in Malaysia. It is nice to know that I have achieved this for myself, my family’s legacy have given us a place in our society, and that people enjoy our noodles,” he said.
Huat Huat Cafe is located along Lorong Liu Shan Bang 2b, Kota Sentosa and operates daily from 6.30am to 4pm except for Saturday and Sunday when it closes at 12.30pm. For more information, call 013 821 0000. — DayakDaily
