After we closed our restaurant, Sijori Malay Eatery, we took some time to travel back to the Sijori Archipelago to rediscover our passion and goal with what we do. 

Sijori was coined by the three governments of Singapore, Johor, and Riau islands (SI-JO-RI) and was a term that my grandfather used to repeat when he reminisced about our family's heritage.

I opened up my first restaurant with the name "Sijori" with this inspiration, however, I didn't realise how further deep it resonated within me to express my Malay culture and my passions in cooking Malay cuisine. 

I have grown up in Singapore and Johor, but I had never visited my grandfather's roots in Riau Islands. When I did, it gave me a whole new insight on why I strive to express my Malay heritage to the world.