KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 — The folks who live around Bukit Tunku (or Kenny Hills, as it’s popularly known) are a lucky lot.
About four weeks ago, Kenny Hills Bakers opened its doors there and since then the bakery-cum-patisserie has become the heart of the quiet neighbourhood. During the early hours, people trickle in for breakfast. Throughout the day, some just stroll in to pick up a loaf of bread or indulge in a sweet treat from the alluring display of rustic-looking cakes and tarts.
Word has spread and people from as far as Shah Alam and Ampang pop by for their artisan breads. On Saturdays, they also do a small batch of gluten-free bread, an item that needs to be booked ahead as it’s snapped up immediately by many who suffer from gluten intolerance.
You’ll be surprised that the person behind Kenny Hills Bakers is not a baker by profession but film-maker, Au Tai Hon, who has a long career in making TV commercials and films. It was a love for dense artisan crafted breads that led him to his latest F&B venture.
When he heard that Craft Bakers in Solaris Dutamas was closing down and the British owner returning to his homeland, he decided to hire the bakers the master baker had trained for five to six years. “I invest in people who are passionate about what they do,” explained Au who decided to find them a place to practise their craft.
It’s not the first time he has invested in F&B. His first venture was Planters Jim Thai in Bangsar. The situation was quite similar to Craft Bakers; two talented Thai chefs had returned from London and he had invested in a restaurant for them to operate in. After 10 years, he sold it to his manager and the two chefs made enough money to buy land back in their hometown in Chiang Mai.
Au was also involved in The Yogitree which served healthy organic food at The Gardens. Even after the place closed, he still retained the baker who now works in a central kitchen to produce rustic-looking cakes and tarts for restaurants like The Social, an eatery owned by his sister-in-law. With the opening of Kenny Hills Bakers, the central kitchen also supplies the delicious cakes and assortment of tarts on display there.
Prior to the opening of Kenny Hills Bakers, Au decided that the setting for the bakery had to be perfect. Previously, Craft Bakers was located in a commercial area and business never really took off. “I come from a background where ambience is important,” said Au.
That, he elaborates, is the underlying difference between a film-maker and a bread maker, on how he approaches his F&B business. “As I’m in the creative business, you think with your right side of the brain. If I am from a business background, I will be doing mass production and talking about numbers.”
Since the bakery’s products are targeted at a small percentage of the population, he looked at niche places like Damansara Heights, Jalan Batai and Kenny Hills. As Selangor Properties Berhad was revamping the shops at Jalan Batai into Batai Village, he was keen to open there but unfortunately Ben’s Independent Grocer would be opening their own bakery there.
So he decided to open in Kenny Hills. “My experience teaches me how to position our product. For instance, this kind of business if I put it into a mall, it will die, as we’re dealing with 0.01 per cent of the population. If I go to the mall, it has to be a mass market bakery.”
Part of the ambience also includes the bakery’s look. Au decided on the industrial look, as it feels “natural” when you put it together: the metal racks, wooden tables and draped lights. Moreover he believes, it works in an old shop lot, like this Kenny Hills space.
You find some small touches within the small bakery like plants whcih soften the look. Most importantly, there’s something alluring about the smell of freshly-baked bread, or even the hustle and bustle as the bread is kneaded by hand and shaped.
Kenny Hills Bakers is the perfect spot for him to dabble in the two things he loves: bread and coffee. “As I am from a creative background, the business that I do must be more about passion, handmade items, crafting and romanticism in a way.”
For Au, there’s a certain romance and nostalgia that appeals to him with coffee, the oldest commodity in the world. As related by Au, bread is also full of history and without bread, there won’t be any French Revolution when Marie Antoinette famously uttered (or not) the words, “Let them eat cake!” and lost her head.
With these observations, Au intends to put up a sign in Kenny Hills Bakers with a phrase he coined...“without bread, there will be chaos but if there is coffee, there would be joy.”
The bread at Kenny Hills Bakers is extremely dense like the ones Europeans eat and nothing like the softer breads that Asians prefer. “We’re part of the Real Bread Campaign in the United Kingdom as we believe in making bread by hand and using the best natural stone milled flour,” explained Au.
This kind of dense bread is like the ones served before the Industrial Revolution, which uses a natural levain. Au insists on using imported specialty flours from England, Australia and France to make the breads.
Since it opened, some regulars have also asked for hot food to be served. Due to the limited space, Au has introduced a small menu of items they can make with their oven, like sandwiches, bagels and quiche. The latest item is baked eggs flamenco, which uses organic eggs served with their bread.
In the next few months, Au hopes to expand his menu to also include pizza. “Pizza is the most popular bread in the world. It is just a piece of bread that you put things on top and eat it like a sandwich.” The detailed Au has already starting researching on pizza, a new project.
Every year, Au who likes to read will set a goal for himself to tackle something new to learn. “This year it will be how to brew a good cup of coffee, next year I want to learn how to make ciabatta bread.”
According to Au, the European-style coffee served at Kenny Hills Bakers is designed to go with their pastries. He prefers not to serve specialty coffee, as he has observed that most people just order a piccolo or latte. You can also indulge in their affogato, which uses homemade ice-cream paired with their strong coffee.
At the moment, there are also other problems he needs to sort out, like the lack of space. Originally designed as a takeaway bakery with a small seating area, Au did not expect people to linger for coffee and food. That small space does create a certain closeness, especially since you bump shoulders and knock elbows with others; acquaintances have even been forged over coffee at the bakery.
When you pop by Kenny Hills Bakers, do say hi to Au. It’s easy to spot him as he zips around serving the orders with a big smile. Who knows, he may even share with you his philosophy on life as you tuck into one of their divine lemon meringue tarts.
Kenny Hills Bakers
1-1B, Taman Tunku, Off Langgak Tunku, Bukit Tunku, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-6206 4111.
https://www.facebook.com/kennyhillsbakers
