From Ipoh schoolmates to KL steakmates: The women behind MariaCafe's success

New Straits Times

7 days ago

THE lunchtime crowd has yet to descend on Maria's SteakCafe when I slip into a corner table by the window. The soft clink of cutlery and low hum of conversation fill the space, the sprawling KLCC Park beyond the restaurant's big glass windows basking in the mellow glow of the late afternoon sun. Wait staff move briskly, preparing for the midday rush.
When Angeline Tan and Chong Ai Lee arrive, they look almost like sisters — both sporting shoulder-length dark hair, warm smiles and dresses that seem to reflect their personalities: Angeline Tan in a gentle salmon pink and Chong looks striking in bold electric blue.
This elegant setting, tucked within one of Kuala Lumpur's busiest districts, is a long way from where their story began.
In Ipoh, two 9-year-old girls met in primary school and built a friendship that would one day anchor a family business.
As the two women settle into their seats opposite me, it's easy to sense the history between them.
"We've been friends since we were kids," shares Tan, the chief executive officer of Maria's SteakCafe, adding with a smile: "Same primary, same secondary, joined the same clubs — Girl Guides, choir, Christian Fellowship… Even when I was studying in Singapore, we'd meet every year without fail at Christmas."
It was Tan's parents who first opened Maria's SteakCafe in Ipoh, long before it became a known name in Kuala Lumpur's dining scene.
Another beam ensues when she confides: "My dad would cook spaghetti bolognese for us every weekend. That's still my favourite item on the menu — because of him."
After finishing school, Tan left for Singapore to pursue actuarial science and was in the field for three years. But when her parents opened a branch in Kuala Lumpur and it struggled to find its footing, she came home in 2012 to help.
"It was about survival then," she recalls, adding: "I told my mum to let me try."
PATHS CONVERGE
Running a business alone, though, proved isolating. Tan knew who she wanted by her side — her childhood friend, Chong. "I needed someone I could trust. I knew we worked well as teenagers and acknowledged the fact that we could be different as adults. But I wanted to try."
Back then, Chong too was carving her own path — first in event management, then in broadcast journalism with NTV7 and later, some marketing roles.
She even ventured into the cafe business with her husband before Tan's offer came — not once but twice. Recalls Chong: "It wasn't the right time. I was still learning and exploring."
Eight years ago, their partnership finally took root. While Tan focused on food, finance and systems, her best friend took charge of people — the front-of-house service, marketing and customer relationships.
Chuckles Tan: "Ai Lee doesn't like to just sit in the office. But I love it."
It wasn't always smooth sailing, as Chong admits: "We had our disagreements. It wasn't so much about the job itself, more about adjusting to each other's working styles."
With Chong being the detail-oriented and sensitive Leo, and Tan the calm, pragmatic Sagittarius, it took some adjustment. "We had to learn to talk, to be open, and to leave our egos at the door," adds Chong, smiling.
Asked about their greatest milestone in business together, the duo agree that it isn't really about the thriving outlets or even becoming the only steakhouse in Klang Valley certified to serve authentic Japanese Kobe beef. It's the culture they've built.
Shares Chong: "When I joined, we started celebrating every staff birthday. Not just one cake for everyone. Each person, their own cake."
Chuckling, Tan admits she resisted at first. "I was counting costs. But I remember this one time when we had such an occasion, the staff who we were celebrating with a cake suddenly teared up because no one had ever done this for him before. That moment changed everything for me."
Today, with over 40 staff, festive celebrations, generous ang pow during Chinese New Year and regular team outings are part of the Maria's culture. "It's about making people feel seen," Chong says simply, adding: "Not just the staff, but customers too."
At their Bangsar outlet, some staff have been there for a decade, watching regulars get married and have children. Pride lacing her tone, Tan says: "We're family-style. People come in after a bad day and we want to put a smile on their face with great steak and warmth."
Both women became mothers recently too — their sons born just a month apart. Says Tan: "Motherhood is new to us. So now, when we have meetings, we set personal time first. An hour to talk about life before business."
Downtime is precious. While Tan finds solace in park walks, Chong belts out songs in her car during traffic jams or on her home karaoke set. "It's therapy," she laughs, warm eyes creasing with mirth.
As for the future, the duo shares that expansion can wait. "We want to perfect what we have," confides Tan, adding: "Improve consistency, make every experience memorable. Deliver five-star service in a family-style setting."
As our conversation winds down, I ask what advice they'd give to friends contemplating starting a business together. Nodding, Chong replies: "Be mature. Honour your boundaries. Put things in writing. Communicate. And above all, don't let work destroy the friendship."
Their story isn't one of dramatic leaps or viral success, but of a friendship that became a foundation — weathering seasons, setbacks and change. What began between two girls from Ipoh has grown into something rare: a bond built not just on shared dreams, but on the promise to never stop showing up — for the business, and for each other.