Established in 1990, The Serai Group has built a name for crafting incomparable menus and unique restaurant concepts for the classic Malaysian dining experience. These traits have become the mark of Chef extraordinaire and managing director Najib Abdul Hamid with his signature touch from his invaluable experience working in fine dining restaurants and hotels in Australia. Najib earned his credentials in the field of gastronomy, having graduated in Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts from Le Cordon Bleu in Adelaide, Australia, making it all the way to the top of his profession after 11 years in Australia.

In 2010, Najib joined forces with his mother-in-law, Rina Abdullah to run the Serai Group which is an award-winning homegrown brand in major malls around the Klang Valley. Today, a total of 14 of restaurants under the Serai Group continue to create different offerings, unequalled ambience and cuisines under the Serai and Jibby brands as well as new outlets to reach out to different segments of the market.

Yet, when the Covid pandemic wreaked havoc worldwide, the F&B industry came to a grinding halt. All Serai restaurants had to be closed – meaning zero income for close to two years. Serai had over 400 staff, and the company made sure none of them lost their jobs. This is remarkable and sets Serai apart from most SMEs, the fact that everyone in the company is part of a family- they grow together. Amazingly, Serai did not lose a single restaurant during the lockdown. The company had to re-strategize its operations. Tough decisions had to be made, including pay cuts and other necessary adjustments.

One of the most important decisions was to restructure the company. Najib led a strategic think tank that led to better governance, the hiring of a Chief Financial Officer that introduced compliance management and stricter internal audits. Once the pandemic eased, the Serai Group was in a stronger position in terms of overall ESG practices and sustainability measures. It was a lesson in adaptability and versatility for the company in the face of crisis.

The staff are still key to the Serai Group’s unique selling point. When operations restarted, Serai was back on track, opening new outlets and hiring more staff – testimony to their unwavering expansion plans to come back stronger and better. The Group is looking at opening up its first restaurant in London. “We don’t want to be just a local champion. We want to establish the business in the international arena,” states Najib. And the Sky’s the Limit!