By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Dec 3: Despite the recent passing of their cousin’s son, the founder of the renowned Kuching Kolo Mee stall, brothers Joseph and Jackie Teo have resolved to honor his legacy by continuing to run the business he established.
Still grieving the founder’s loss, the Teo brothers have taken bold steps to maintain the stall’s reputation by preserving its name and the original recipes he shared with them.
Jackie, 24, the younger of the duo, explained that fulfilling the founder’s wishes was their way of paying tribute to his memory.
“My elder brother Joseph has been making kolo mee with him for over a decade, and I have been learning from them since I was young,” Jackie said during an interview with DayakDaily.
The brothers had initially planned to expand their family’s food business but had to scale back operations following the founder’s death. This included closing a stall at Trinity Hub to focus on their current location at Excellent Delight Food Court, Jalan Stutong.
Jackie noted that their loyal customers have supported them through the transition, praising their dedication to preserving the authentic recipes.
“I know using ‘Kuching’ in our stall’s name is a big responsibility because it represents the city’s identity as a hub for kolo mee. But we’re proud to uphold the founder’s standards and make kolo mee the way it’s meant to taste,” he said.
The brothers’ signature dish remains the traditional kolo mee, which customers often take to distant locations.
Jackie shared that their menu has expanded to include green noodles (made from vegetables), dry and soupy variations of kueh teow, bee hoon, mee pok, and mee lurus, offering over 25 dishes tailored to local tastes.
“Regulars have dubbed our kolo mee as ‘grandmother’s kolo mee.’ I like to call it traditional style and taste,” Jackie said with pride.
Despite running a kolo mee stall, Jackie enjoys exploring other food establishments in Kuching, which he considers a kolo mee paradise.
“My favorite is kolo mee with soy sauce—I could eat it every day,” he chuckled.
Looking ahead, Jackie expressed optimism about expanding their operations, in line with the founder’s aspirations.
“We’ve hired more workers to help with operations, and they’re reliable enough to manage the stall even when my brother and I aren’t around. This allows us to focus on sourcing quality ingredients and planning for the future,” he said.
Jackie emphasised the importance of preserving tradition, hoping that younger generations would carry on the family’s culinary legacy.
“Calling it ‘Kuching Kolo Mee’ makes us proud, and we want to make the family proud too. It’s all about keeping the tradition alive,” he said with a smile.
Teo’s Kuching Kolo Mee stall is located at Excellent Delight Food Court, Jalan Stutong. It operates daily from 6am to 11pm.
For inquiries, call 011-7019 9880. — DayakDaily
