The Yong Upbringing

There’s nothing about Yong Mei Ling and Yong Mei Fong that screams entitlement, despite being third-generation owners of English Hotbread—a 53-year-old company which is now a market leader in the nation’s catering industry. And that, finds Dian Pasquinal Kaur, is the key to the Yong upbringing

- Dian Pasquinal Kaur

What you immediately notice about the Yong sisters, is their camaraderie, closeness and peppy, full of spunk nature. That’s why their daytime jobs— the older Yong as director for English Hotbreads, Sambal Chilli and Lemon Daisy Cakes and her baby sister, manager of transaction advisory services at Ernst & Young—leave us stumped.

The sisters (who are each other’s best friends) are easygoing, always up for a challenge and most courteous, all vital traits they picked up from father Dato’ Kevin Yong, the managing director of English Hotbreads and the man responsible for turning the company from a bakery into a thriving catering business serving the hospitality and airline industry.

TREATING OTHERS WITH RESPECT

“My father is an amazing entrepreneur,” enthuses 29-year-old Mei Ling with great admiration. “Some of his staff members have been with him for 30 years and he operates with a lot of integrity. He’s a man who really sticks to his words.”

Dato’ Kevin is a people’s person through and through, he treats everyone equally and has a way of making everyone feel important, she adds, thereby reaffirming the importance of setting good examples for your children and imparting the right values. At a time where common courtesy is uncommon, the sisters prove that treating another human being with respect is crucial. Mum Datin Penny is also known for being eternally gracious and without airs.

Our conversation took on a gloomy turn, at the mention of how people take to social media without considering the feelings of others. “It really is difficult running a restaurant in this day of social media, where even a missing garnish can become an issue for all to see. I usually apologise and see how we can immediately fix the problem,” shares Mei Ling.