There is an adage that food is interrelated with the soul. Foods are necessary for us to subsist, for they nourish both the spirit and the body. They enrich and enhance one’s emotional well-being. An intrinsic part of many world cultures, they bring people together in celebration of life. It is not by chance that Psalm 63:5 compares our delight in the Lord to the “satisfaction as with the richest of food”.
However, not everyone gets to enjoy such privileges. There are many jobless or homeless people who go hungry every day. In Psalm 107:9, Scripture says the Lord satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. As Christians, this principle should be our model.
One man, Desonny Tuzan, and his family, have taken this very much to heart. Proprietor of Charlie’s Café in Taman Bukit Desa along with his wife Debra, the couple is on a mission of compassion. Unlike many other cafes that were built primarily as a commercial enterprise, Sonny approaches his through a social service- and community- first standpoint. What makes Charlie’s Café so unique and different?
The Beginnings of Charlie’s Café
Sonny is a Kadazan from Sabah, married to Debra, who also comes from Sabah. Today, the affable and gentle couple is blessed with 4 children; Ezekiel (13), Althea (10), Sofea (6), and Daniella (1+). Recently, he shared with us the Charlie’s Café origin and background.
The framework for Charlie’s Café is guided on the family’s Christian background. Another foundation has been Christ’s calling to be a blessing to the community. From the ingredients to the employment policy, to the value of the fare offered to customers, it’s all from a framework of what Christ would want an entrepreneur to be.
‘The beginnings of Charlie’s Café were really simple actually. I just got together with a group of friends, was mentored and encouraged by them to start this business, and not long after, I embarked on it. We did not hesitate much nor was there much challenge. God knew all along that we wanted to serve and reach out to the community so that His light could shine, and He smoothed the paths.’
Not long after this discussion, in March 2015, through a casual conversation at a sundry shop where the café is currently located, he found that the shopkeeper was considering giving up the tenancy. Things fell into place and a week later he had found a location for his café.
‘These days it’s often difficult to find a location, especially within such a short time. To be able to get this location is only God’s favor. The only challenge I would say was that we had a great hope for this café, and we were uncertain at that time about our direction. We sought for God’s direction and concept for the cafe.’
Charlie’s Café Company Policy
‘We had great support and encouragement from many of our friends,’ Sonny recounted in gratitude. The well-known artist from Art Sower, Lew Tau Fei, is a friend who has blessed the cafe. ‘We have original graphic and poster art on our walls, and a place where upcoming artists get to show their crafts. The current work on our walls belongs to Tau Fei, an international award-winning poster art artist from Malaysia!’
Sonny comes from more than 20 years of experience in the foodservice industry, being involved in managing two food courts, cafes, restaurants, and even MNCs. His last employment was as Café Manager at the Dream Café in DUMC, where he worked for 3 years. At the present he wants Charlie’s Café to be an employment point for the less advantaged.
Among the first steps he took was to look for such employees. ‘Initially, manpower seemed to be our greatest challenge,’ he shared. He was determined that precedence would be given to the indigenous people who did not have the same work opportunities as others. ‘We want to give opportunities to the indigenous people and those who are talented but can’t afford to go to top schools.’
‘We want to give our employees hope and something for them to build on so that one day they can replicate it in blessing others. We train our employees in how to manage such a business. The only thing that is required is that they would be willing to learn and work diligently.
‘Our ultimate goal is to create an opportunity where the indigenous people can a blessing to our nation through this model of social enterprise. This is also one way we ourselves can contribute back to our community as an indigenous people. We have been blessed with wonderful employees. We want to be the best employers and work towards giving our staff more avenues to grow and be groomed for greater challenges ahead.’
Currently, Sonny is also in discussions to shift his source of ingredients to the Orang Asli community. Already last July, Charlie’s Café held a durian fest. The Orang Asli brought baskets of durians and the event was a success and a positive sign for the future.
‘Our hope is that Farm-to-Table will help to give the Orang Asli community a more regular livelihood through their agriculture products. Our ingredients will mostly be sourced from the community once we have finalized our discussions with them.’
Pay It Forward
Another way in which Charlie’s Café has been blessing the community is through their Pay It Forward feature. This is a system in which café visitors would bless the poor with free meals. By contributing RM5 for each person, a hungry individual can come in, pick a receipt that had been contributed to the Pay- It-Forward Corner, and be blessed with a free meal.
Initially not really knowing what to expect, Sonny shares that the response from people had been incredibly encouraging. ‘People are really generous deep down when given the opportunity. On most days, we have up to 4 café visitors who contribute towards the corner. Now people who had previously struggled to survive on a daily basis has at least something and a place to eat.’
For standard customers, the focus is in providing them delicious, top-quality food at budget-conscious prices. At a very affordable price, a customer gets to enjoy a Malaysian delight and variety of cakes and pastries. Fares like the Nasi Lemak and the Tom Yam Noodles were voted as one of KL’s best in past polls.
In the near future more East Malaysian cuisines will be added to the Sarawak Laksa which has already gained followers since a month ago. The hope is that this will play a part in showcasing the East Malaysian food culture here in Peninsular. For more Western fare, there are also sandwiches, pastas, and pastries.
While managed by Christians, Charlie’s also serves food on an unbiased basis and do not use pork. They also ensure that they get their poultry from a Halal supplier, and place emphasis on an eco-friendly and clean environment. “We want to also make Charlie’s a place where people from all walks of life can dine and make friends,” Sonny said.
Meals are prepared by hand, and Debra is an excellent baker. ‘Our desserts sell out fast. One of our most popular desserts is the Musang King and “When Charlie met Snowhite” cheesecake,’ he shared.
During my visit, I sampled the “When Charlie met Snowhite” cheesecake, and it was wonderful. Unlike some cheesecakes which can be heavy and dense, this was light and smooth, with an underlying crisp coming from the almond bits in the base. Pair this with the fragrant coffee during your visit.
Sonny related that many of his customers are very positive about feedback. They appreciate the fact that the café serve delicious comfort food at such affordable pricing. Many of them return regularly, some daily, and many have become acquaintances.
‘Sometimes people ask me about the café’s location. Why not some place in East Malaysia for example? But this is where God has led us to be and wherever we are, Christians are called to the ministry of hospitality. We have hopes for expansion and more locations in the future,’ Sonny conveyed.
‘Based on my experience, we have to be realistic. Yes, we are a profit-oriented social enterprise and we have revenue. This revenue will be invested in future expansion, and most importantly, people development. We are actually looking for partners who are interested and have a heart for the poor to work with us in expanding Charlie’s Café as a social enterprise’
‘I can’t give thanks enough to God for His faithfulness,’ he reflects. ‘The food business can be tough, especially in this economic climate we’re in, but God has sustained us all along. I know this is where God wants me to be and I feel a purpose in what I do. God has been there guiding and equipping me for all these years. This is just a portion of what I can do in return.’
Charlie’s Cafe
Charlie’s Cafe is located at 29, Jalan Bukit Desa 5, Taman Bukit Desa. You can find out more about the cafe at their FaceBook page. While coming from a social enterprise standpoint, Charlie’s Café does not stinge on food and quality control. The café has been featured in numerous other articles. You can find more information about Charlie’s Café, including reviews at:
Food Advisor: http://www.foodadvisor.my/best-nasi-lemak-kl/
http://www.foodadvisor.my/best-cheesecake-kuala-lumpur
http://www.foodadvisor.my/best-tom-yam-in-kl
Eat Drink KL: http://eatdrinkkl.blogspot.my/2015/07/charlies-taman-bukit-desa.html
The Malaysian Insider : http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/food/article/cafe-with-a-lot-of-heart-in-taman-desa
Charlie’s Cafe has also been featured on AFO Radio (youtube) and LITEFM (14th September 2015 Podcast).
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Jason Law
NOTE: All pictures kindly contributed by Sonny and Charlie’s Cafe.
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