STAFF shortages may be a constant thorn in the side for the hospitality industry across the country, but a cafe that's nestled at a quiet nook in KL Gateway Mall seems to have the opposite problem: a growing waitlist of people wanting to join its team.
"I'm overstaffed already with 15 workers," Sharon Lee smiles, adding: "How can I turn them away when they need the job so much?"
Tender Hearts cafe operates like every other cafe. However, most of its staff members — from the front-of-house to the kitchen — are individuals with special needs.
The cafe's mission, shares Lee, is to show that people living with disability aren't only "ready, willing and absolutely capable" to work, but should also be compensated.
"There are hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities who are willing to work, but they're too often overlooked," she says, continuing: "I don't think perhaps as a society we're educated enough to understand the benefits of employing someone with a disability or what they need to do to be an inclusive employer. I'm hopeful we're slowly changing that."
Being overstaffed is an issue but Lee is determined not to let that stop her from giving them a chance. "I feel so sad to turn them away, you know?" she says quietly. "That's why I started this social enterprise, and that's why I have to expand this business… so I can bring more on board."
The cafe was Lee's brainchild when she was concerned about the challenges her younger daughter, who also has special needs, would face finding meaningful employment after finishing school.
"Su Anne is globally delayed and also has attention deficit disorder," shares the mother-of-two. "Of course, I wanted to create a space for her where she'd have a job and be independent."
In April 2018, Lee embarked on a transformative journey by establishing a social enterprise. The venture started modestly, with a small team comprising three special-needs girls and three mothers, including Lee and her daughter.
Our conversation briefly stops when she's summoned to the kitchen to guide one of her staff member in preparing a dish. Lee looks apologetic when she returns.
"These kids… you have to be patient with them. They often need reminders or to be taught tasks repeatedly. It's not fair to expect them to work like everyone else. Each one has their own set of challenges. However, watching them grow and thrive here truly means the world," she confides.
At this cafe, adds Lee, the young people learn a variety of skills, from operating the cash register and preparing food, to serving customers and washing dishes.
"It's really not easy," she admits, adding: "I've always loved cooking and baking. But running a cafe? I had no experience at all!"
EARLY YEARS, EARLY STRUGGLES
Lee, originally from Kuala Sawah, Negri Sembilan, attended school in Seremban, located about 10 kilometres from her hometown. From a young age, she harboured the dream of becoming a teacher. However, her path took an unexpected turn during her teacher training interview.
She was deemed too young for the position; a situation arising from her accelerated education, which saw her completing Form Five a year ahead of schedule. "I was disappointed, of course," she admits.
Despite the setback in her teaching aspirations, Lee continued her education and obtained a diploma in architecture drafting. "I loved to draw!" she explains simply, with a grin. It was during her college years that she met her future husband, the man who'd become the father of her two daughters.
After graduating, Lee engaged in some architectural drafting work, but she eventually transitioned to assisting her father in his business endeavours.
"I learnt a lot from my dad," she recalls fondly. "Everything I know about business, I learnt from him." When her father retired, Lee moved to Subang Jaya with her husband.
But there were dark clouds in the horizon. Her younger daughter was diagnosed with global developmental delay, a condition marked by a significant lag in reaching developmental milestones.
This revelation came when her daughter was in pre-school and the advice for professional intervention was a blow to Lee. "I was devastated at the news," Lee admitted, grappling with the reality of her daughter's condition.
Amidst her challenges, Lee faced a personal crisis as her marriage neared its end. With her father's encouragement, she bravely chose to leave, seeking happiness and a better life for her children, especially her youngest with special needs. "My father saw my struggle," she recalls, revealing the depth of her hardships but also her resilience in facing them head-on.
At the time she embarked on single parenthood, her children were very young; her eldest daughter was 4 and her youngest was just 2 years old.
"My whole world revolved around my children. When I think of what I went through during those early years, I still get goosebumps!" the 64-year-old confides, shaking her head.
Lee faced financial difficulties while trying to make ends meet on her own. With an income of just around RM2,000, she was burdened with various obligations: a housing loan, a car loan, babysitting expenses and a credit card that she used for essential purchases, such as milk and other necessities for her children. Consequently, by month's end, her earnings were primarily consumed by credit card payments, leaving little for anything else.
"Then there were the additional expenses like my younger girl's therapies and hospital appointments," she adds. "I told myself to never look back. I just had to move forward, keep thinking of my girls."
MORE CHALLENGES
Amid her trials, Lee found unwavering support from her father, who became her pillar of strength and guidance. "He was my rock," she reflects, attributing much of her ability to persevere through challenges to his support. Not only did he provide financial assistance, but his encouragement was also a constant source of motivation for Lee to press on.
Lee's next business venture took an unexpected twist when her partnership — as well as her second relationship — soured, leaving her to navigate the demands of the business alone, a task made even more challenging by the personal heartbreak of the split. "It was a painful parting of ways," Lee reflects, adding: "I cried and cried, but I had to pick myself up."
Initially focused on back-office administration, the break-up compelled her to take on the full scope of the business, including direct dealings with suppliers and the many other challenges of running the enterprise.
This significant shift was daunting. "Oh, I was so scared," Lee admits. Despite her apprehensions, the motivation to support her two children provided the drive she needed.
The determined and resilient Lee quickly learnt the intricacies of her business, skillfully managing the toiletries enterprise she continues to run to this day.
But aside from running a business, the ever-smiling woman found the time to involve herself in a number of charities — a commitment that dates back to her youth spent at the Leo Club, an organisation dedicated to fostering leadership and community service among young people.
"I believe in giving back," she explains, adding: "I wanted to do something that I enjoyed… like cooking and baking, while making a difference."
Reflecting on the roots of her culinary passion, Lee mentions a poignant symbol of her father's support — a small oven he purchased for her during her school years, which she has kept to this day.
Around the same time Su Anne completed her course at Sunway College, Lee recognised a pressing need to provide employment opportunities for her and other special-needs youth who'd completed their education.
Understanding the limited options available to these individuals in the traditional job market, Lee saw an opportunity to make a difference. Motivated by this insight, she collaborated with two of Su Anne's friends, along with their mothers, to embark on a new venture. Together, they started baking from one of the mum's houses.
Lee and her team soon faced a big challenge when they got an order to bake 1,000 cookies for a big company, but they had very few resources — just a small oven each.
Laughing in recollection, Lee remembers how tough it was. "Yet somehow, through the right contacts and with the help of family and friends, we found a place equipped with the necessary facilities to cater for such a large order!"
With determination and help from the Leo Club and volunteers, they baked and managed to complete the order. This success provided Lee the funds to start her cafe for real, showing how a big challenge turned into a new beginning for her business and a way to help special-needs youth find work.
The first cafe was located at Summit, Subang Jaya. "It was tough," she confesses ruefully. "None of us had any experience running a cafe. What's more, having our special-needs children helping out!"
Opening Tender Hearts cafe brought Lee new hurdles, but none as tough as losing her father, her main source of strength and guidance. His death hit Lee hard, taking away not just a beloved parent, but her most steadfast supporter and adviser.
Her eyes tearing up, she shares: "I miss him terribly… His death shattered me."
Just as Lee was trying to come to terms with her father's passing, she encountered another serious hurdle. At the end of the same month she lost her father, Lee found a lump in her breast, which led to a cancer diagnosis. This required her to quickly undergo surgery, and then face multiple sessions of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
"I lost my hair," she confides quietly. "I remember crying my heart out when I had to finally shave my head. It was a terrible season. So much loss, so much heartache. But I had two girls to live for. I had to go on."
But eventually she managed to complete her chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions, which gave her a promising "cancer-free" start. The relieved woman went back to focusing on running the cafe.
But the curveballs kept coming. She had to face the monumental challenge of navigating the Covid-19 pandemic, which threatened the very survival of her cafe.
With the world grappling with lockdowns and restrictions, her business had to halt operations, yet the obligation to cover rental expenses persisted. "The pandemic nearly did us in," Lee shares, adding: "But we survived, thankfully."
BRIGHTER DAYS
Surviving these numerous challenges, the cafe's move to a new location at the KL Gateway Mall marks a significant new chapter. This transition not only signifies the resilience and perseverance of Lee and her team but also represents a fresh start and an opportunity for growth.
Here at Tender Hearts, I witness firsthand the incredible impact it has on empowering youths with special needs.
Despite his challenges with global developmental delay and epilepsy, Azri confidently reads out the day's specials. After making my selection, I head to the counter, where volunteer Yan Yi and Azri's mother, Siti Mariam handle the transactions.
In the kitchen, Haziq, who faces difficulties with learning at a typical pace, is busy preparing my shrimp fried rice under Lee's watchful eye. When my meal is ready, it's served by Graham, an autistic young man, with his mother Pamela by his side, gently nudging him to speak. After a brief pause, he tells me: "Enjoy your meal."
"We're a family here," says Azri with a smile. I can see that clearly. The camaraderie is evident between the young men.
Lee looks on with pride. "My hope is eventually for them to run the cafe by themselves. I know it's difficult," she says, adding: "But we have to be around to guide them for as long as we can."
Looking at them fondly, Lee continues; "My ultimate dream would be to find a space for them to stay together so they can take care of each other. That's why the culture here is very different. The kids have bonded. They're like brothers and sisters. And we're all like this big, huge family."
Lee's own journey has been full of twists and turns, but she's found her true purpose and peace in leading Tender Hearts cafe. This special cafe shines bright like a beacon for everyone, especially young people with special needs in search for a place where they can thrive. Here, being different is celebrated with acceptance, and love is served up alongside delicious food.
With her in charge, Tender Hearts is more than a cafe — it's a warm, inviting community where everyone belongs.
TENDER HEARTS CAFE
Where: L2.05 Level 2, KL Gateway Mall, Kerinchi, 59200 Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: Mondays to Fridays, 11am until 4pm. Off on public holidays.
