From Malyasia to Huddersfield how one mum is bringing her food into your home

Valerie Kolat opened her Malaysian restaurant just months before the pandemic hit. Catherine Scott reports.
Valerie Kolat with her husband Neil outside their Malaysian restaurant in Chapel Allerton Picture: Chapter 81 Ben Bentley.Valerie Kolat with her husband Neil outside their Malaysian restaurant in Chapel Allerton Picture: Chapter 81 Ben Bentley.
Valerie Kolat with her husband Neil outside their Malaysian restaurant in Chapel Allerton Picture: Chapter 81 Ben Bentley.

Valerie Kolat never set out to be a chef with her own restaurant.

In fact when she moved to Huddersfield from Malaysia to study computers at the university aged 24 she admits she couldn’t really cook.

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“After a couple of weeks I rang my mum back home in Malaysia and told her I just couldn’t cope,” explains mum of two Valerie.

Valerie Koyat opened her restaurant seven months before lockdown Picture: Chapter 81/ Ben BentleyValerie Koyat opened her restaurant seven months before lockdown Picture: Chapter 81/ Ben Bentley
Valerie Koyat opened her restaurant seven months before lockdown Picture: Chapter 81/ Ben Bentley

“She sent me a cookery book and at the back there was a section about cooking Asian recipes in Western countries where not all the ingredients were available.”

Valerie never looked back. She met and married husband Neil and when she was pregnant with her first son her mum came over to help and she passed on her knowledge to Valerie.

“I wanted my boys to be abe to eat the food that I grew up with,” she says, her two sons are now 13 and 10.

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But it was the death of her parents that saw her immerse herself in cooking.

Malaysian food takes its inspiration from many different cultures Picture: Chapter 81/ Ben BentleyMalaysian food takes its inspiration from many different cultures Picture: Chapter 81/ Ben Bentley
Malaysian food takes its inspiration from many different cultures Picture: Chapter 81/ Ben Bentley

“Losing both of my parents within a six-month period back in 2011 and early 2012 made me look to cooking as a type of therapy, she says.,

“I felt guilty that I wasn’t there for her. Food became a way to memorialise my wonderful mum and reminded me of home. Despite my parents not being here anymore, I can cook one of their favourite dishes and feel the nostalgia associated with it.”

Food is so important to Malaysian people and mum was renowned for her natural flair.

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“Most Malaysians are foodies; eating out is a national pastime and people will drive any length of time to eat a favourite dish. It’s strange that Malaysian food hadn’t made much head road into the British psyche, but most of our international food passions have grown from mass migration from those places. Cuisines like that of Malaysia are growing in popularity as more people experience them here.

Valerie has just launched her ready meals for delivery into people's homes Picture: Chapter 81/ Ben BentleyValerie has just launched her ready meals for delivery into people's homes Picture: Chapter 81/ Ben Bentley
Valerie has just launched her ready meals for delivery into people's homes Picture: Chapter 81/ Ben Bentley

“Being a stay at home mum helped me experiment, and learn lots of dishes”, Valerie explains. Instead of shying away from business in those first, busy years of motherhood, Valerie polished up on the dishes that epitomised her Malay heritage.

Surprised that Malaysian food hadn’t made as many in-roads into the British psyche as other types of cuisine, Valerie wanted to put it on the map. As Malaysia is made up of a multitude of peoples; predominantly Malay, Chinese and Indian, Dapur Malaysia’s dine-at-home meals are inspired by the flavours from all three groups, as well as unique and purely Malaysian dishes, just like the ones her mum used to cook.

“I started catering on a very small scale, by doing the odd party for family and friends,” she says.”As well as the Friday lunch drop (where people would pre-order and I could deliver it around Huddersfield). We then started doing a market stall every second Sunday of the month in Huddersfield, called Upmarket Sundays. We also did a few food festivals in Leeds.”

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She then managed to get a pop up at Trinity Kitchen in Leeds and with that success started to look for a more permanent base for her restaurant.

Valerie grew up in Malaysia and set up her business in memory of her mumValerie grew up in Malaysia and set up her business in memory of her mum
Valerie grew up in Malaysia and set up her business in memory of her mum

“It was actually regular customers at Trinity who suggested a number of areas in Leeds that would be suited to Malaysian food, she explains.

Chapel Allerton was one of those areas that was suggested, We knew we needed to be in an area where people might be somewhat familiar with some of the dishes, and/or willing to try something different” – so Chapel Allerton was the suburb she set her heart on.

And in 2019 Dapur Malaysia, opened there.

But just months after opening the doors, the pandemic struck and she was forced to close them again.

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Instead of letting closure knock her confidence, she considered how to adapt her business model and keep the business alive.

Many people discovered a passion for cooking recipes from scratch during lockdown one, but she felt that during the current lockdown that has changed. With parents juggling home-schooling, working from home and general lockdown lethargy setting in. Valerie realised that people still want healthy food they can eat at home, but that is quick to cook, so the idea for her ready meals was born.

Whilst Dapur Malaysia’s delivery and click and collect service remains available for local residents from Thursday to Saturday as a takeaway, the ready meals can be ordered at any time and the nationwide delivery means those living outside of the Leeds area can enjoy the tastes of Valerie’s kitchen at home. Each meal is packed fresh at her Chapel Allerton restaurant and delivered within three days of ordering. All dishes can be kept chilled for up to three days and can be frozen for up to three months, enabling customers to savour the experience.

“The last few months have been challenging,” she admits, “as we were only open for seven months before we had to close.”

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“The idea for cook at home has been part of our business model since we opened, but the pandemic kick-started the process. We have taken time to look at different types of packaging, picking one that would ensure our dishes could be delivered fresh to our customers wherever they are in the UK, as well as being microwavable and oven safe. We’ve also made it affordable so, whilst it’s a restaurant at home experience, it’s still accessible. Malaysians are massive foodies and our cuisine definitely has something for everyone. It’s my hope that Malaysian cuisine will gain in popularity when people get a chance to try our dishes.”

dapurmalaysia.co.uk

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