The taste of old world charm
Loaves of breads are being baked in the coalfire oven at Salahuddin Bakery, Jalan Dhoby in Johor Baru.
Amid the trendy cafes, shops and a night bazaar that have invigorated the Johor Baru city centre, an old bakery is still churning out the charming coal-fired bread that reminds many Malaysians of the good old days.
Some eight decades after it opened, locals and foreign visitors, including Singaporeans, continue to make a stop at Salahuddin Bakery for its freshly made, aromatic breads.
It’s a family-run business that is into its fourth generation now since its inception in 1937.
Wishing to be known only as Salahuddin, the owner said he inherited the business from his late father Shamsul Hag some 16 years ago. The 52-year-old has since retired and passed the baton to his eldest son.
It was Salahuddin’s late grandfather, Shariff Mohamed Mahku, who started the bakery 12 years after he arrived here from New Delhi.
“When he first came to Malaya in 1925, he worked as a baker and dreamt of owning a shop one day.
“He finally realised his dream. Since the shop’s opening, it has become a family tradition to run the business,” he said, adding that his son took over the running of the shop early this year.
Salahuddin said his family would ensure that the art of bread-making will be passed down to future generations.
“My four children were taught to make breads since they were kids,” he said.
Helped by assistants, his children and relatives start by preparing the dough and other ingredients at midnight.
At 6am, the first loaves of freshly made breads are rolled out for the early birds, including workers in nearby offices.
Salahuddin said little has changed over the years, especially the coal-fired oven that gives the bakery much of its old-world charm.
Patrons who step into the shop are greeted by black-and-white photos of Shariff and Shamsul on the wall along with newspaper clippings featuring the shop.
“My regular customers, be they Malay, Chinese, Indian or Eurasian, always enjoy our pastries and breads. Coal-made breads are hardly available in Johor Baru now,” he said.
The outlet boasts some 50 types of pastries and breads such as French loaves and coconut-filled buns.
Salahuddin reckons it is the taste of authentic and original soft bread taste that makes his customers come back for more.
“They tell me that the taste of my breads is different from those made by bakeries using electric or gas ovens,” he smiled.
The secret to the shop’s lasting charm is not just in the quality of its baked goods but the relationships it has forged with its customers.
“I know each of my regular customers, some of whom have been visiting our shop since they were young and now, they are parents bringing in their children,” he said.
While he said he can’t predict the future, Salahuddin gave an assurance that the bakery would always open its doors for business – even in the next hundred years.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Loaves of breads are being baked in the coalfire oven at Salahuddin Bakery, Jalan Dhoby in Johor Baru.
Amid the trendy cafes, shops and a night bazaar that have invigorated the Johor Baru city centre, an old bakery is still churning out the charming coal-fired bread that reminds many Malaysians of the good old days.
Some eight decades after it opened, locals and foreign visitors, including Singaporeans, continue to make a stop at Salahuddin Bakery for its freshly made, aromatic breads.
It’s a family-run business that is into its fourth generation now since its inception in 1937.
Wishing to be known only as Salahuddin, the owner said he inherited the business from his late father Shamsul Hag some 16 years ago. The 52-year-old has since retired and passed the baton to his eldest son.
It was Salahuddin’s late grandfather, Shariff Mohamed Mahku, who started the bakery 12 years after he arrived here from New Delhi.
“When he first came to Malaya in 1925, he worked as a baker and dreamt of owning a shop one day.
“He finally realised his dream. Since the shop’s opening, it has become a family tradition to run the business,” he said, adding that his son took over the running of the shop early this year.
Salahuddin said his family would ensure that the art of bread-making will be passed down to future generations.
“My four children were taught to make breads since they were kids,” he said.
Helped by assistants, his children and relatives start by preparing the dough and other ingredients at midnight.
At 6am, the first loaves of freshly made breads are rolled out for the early birds, including workers in nearby offices.
Salahuddin said little has changed over the years, especially the coal-fired oven that gives the bakery much of its old-world charm.
Patrons who step into the shop are greeted by black-and-white photos of Shariff and Shamsul on the wall along with newspaper clippings featuring the shop.
“My regular customers, be they Malay, Chinese, Indian or Eurasian, always enjoy our pastries and breads. Coal-made breads are hardly available in Johor Baru now,” he said.
The outlet boasts some 50 types of pastries and breads such as French loaves and coconut-filled buns.
Salahuddin reckons it is the taste of authentic and original soft bread taste that makes his customers come back for more.
“They tell me that the taste of my breads is different from those made by bakeries using electric or gas ovens,” he smiled.
The secret to the shop’s lasting charm is not just in the quality of its baked goods but the relationships it has forged with its customers.
“I know each of my regular customers, some of whom have been visiting our shop since they were young and now, they are parents bringing in their children,” he said.
While he said he can’t predict the future, Salahuddin gave an assurance that the bakery would always open its doors for business – even in the next hundred years.
~News courtesy of The Star~
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