After losing mum to cancer and barely surviving under MCO, Seremban food stall owner hopes for better business

PETALING JAYA, March 18 — Seremban food stall owner Lee Kon Foong, 46, worked as a seamstress when she got married about 30 years ago.

However, her job as seamstress wasn’t enough to fend for her family so she made food such as laksa, char kuetiau and sold at various spots to sell before opening up her own stall.

Her food stall in Seremban’s Rasah New Village has been in operation for the past 15 years and her late mother who was an experienced kitchen helper used to help her.

When her mother passed away in 2017 to cancer, her business went downhill for her especially since the first movement control order (MCO) last year.

“I felt very down when my mother passed away and there were hardly any customers for a long time – there were many days where I had to throw my food away.

“I also managed to only earn about RM50 a day, and on better days I would earn close to RM300 a day.”

She added that she took drastic measures such as cutting down on her number of workers as she wasn’t able to pay them because her business was not doing well.

“Now, I only have one worker and my two daughters have also been helping me run the stall.

“With the current MCO, it was hard to have many customers enjoy my home-cooked meals as there are strict sitting regulations.

“However, these past two days, many have been stopping by for their lunch meals and I think it’s because of a Facebook post that mentioned my stall.”

Some of her signature meals include chicken rendang, Hokkien mee, fried Yee Mee, fried rice and char kuetiau.
Lee’s chicken rendang meal is one that is not to be missed at her stall. — Picture via Anne Grace Savitha.

“All my home-cooked food is also MSG-free, and I do hope more people will visit my stall.

“Cooking is my livelihood and I hope many would be able to try my dishes,” she said.

Her home-made desserts such as sweet potato soup and red bean soup are not to be missed as she patiently cooks them over a charcoal stove.

Her stall is located next to the archway of the Rasah New Village entrance and her stall is open from 12pm till 7pm every day.