KUALA LUMPUR: Relishing a hearty breakfast all day may sound luxurious, yet worrisome for many.
But patrons to the 'BAD (breakfast all day) Kitchen' have no qualms savouring a hearty, quality take-away fare - British style for five hours from 7am daily.
All this at a makeshift eatery right under a 'Flame of the Forest' tree in bustling Jalan Bandar 4, Taman Melawati near Zoo Negara.
And diners are offered a generously fair measure of complimentary take-away black coffee, as well.
The facility, just opposite the BHPetrol station, is the ingenious idea of the housing estate's local-born and industrious Shaik Malik Sehu Allavudin, who turned 38 on Jan 28.
The affordable menu, prized between RM7 and RM19, offers mixed selections comprising omelettes, scrambled eggs, sunny side up, beef bacon, chicken sausage, turkey ham, tuna, hash brown potato, toast bread, cheddar cheese, pickles and salad.
They are packed under 'Big Breakfast', 'Pulled Beef Ciabatta', 'Egg Muffin', 'Chicken Egg Muffin', 'Egg and Beef Bacon Muffin', 'Focaccia Chicken Rocket', 'Bagel with Cream Cheese', 'Bagel Tuna Melt' and 'B.L.T. (bacon, lettuce, tomato) Sandwich'.
Interestingly, Malik is also a New Straits Times area news vendor for the Ampang distribution zone and doubles up as a butcher in the afternoon at his Fresh Meat Empire Sdn Bhd outlet in Bandar Baru Ampang.
Malik inherited the news vending business from his ailing father Sehu Allavudin, 64, but initiated the butchery and eatery on his own initiative.
"I was initially an automotive engineer with a local firm for 15 years but had to quit my job to nurse my father who suffered a heart attack in December 2010.
"As I went along the news vending business, my revenue began sliding the last four years as demand for newspapers declined with the advent of online news.
"The business took a further dive two years ago when the Covid-19 pandemic struck and the Movement Control Order kicked in.
"I had to diversify to stay afloat and ventured into butchery last year but the income was sluggish.
"That is when I decided to try my luck with the BAD Kitchen which required minimal start-up capital as I already had the basic meat supply and helpers," said Malik, who began the eatery on Merdeka Day last Aug 31.
And by Malaysia Day on Sept 16, he began getting a steady stream of regulars who fancied his exotic yet easy-to-eat meals.
The father of three, who married his soulmate Noor Wahidah Abdul Kadir in 2010, was not short of manpower as he had a ready staff from his butchery.
Malik's team comprises four displaced men who had lost their original jobs - contractor Ruszaidi Alias, graphic designer Muhammad Firdaus Roslan, Malindo pilot Muhammad Asyraf Samad, all 32, and chef Mohd Hafiz Said, 44.
"After we wrap up our eatery, clear the temporary hawking site by bundling the equipment and tent into a van by noon, we head to my butcher shop for our next task.
"We run the butchery until 7pm before calling it a day. I then get my accounting and paper work done at home and prepare for the next day's routine," said Malik, adding that his purchasing was aided by reliable suppliers.
Malik recounted how he had pursued automotive engineering at University of Sunderland in England after obtaining his engineering diploma from the Federal Institute of Technology in Kuala Lumpur.
He had earlier studied at Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Melawati 2 and Sekolah Menengah Taman Melawati before completing his Form Five at SM Teknik Nibong Tebal in Penang.
Although Malik declined to disclose his gross daily revenue at BAD Kitchen, the NST understands his team could easily drum up to RM1,500 in sales a day.
That, plus some tidy income from the butchery, allows Malik and his team to fend for themselves and their families during this trying episode when many are not only jobless but in dire need of nutrition.
Syabas to Malaysians like Malik and his team for their laudable self-initiatives.