Wonderful believes this was because many locals’ mindset on Japanese restaurants was that they only serve raw foods. Yet, a lot of local diners would often just walk past Wa Zen. We also served homecooked-style dishes from Japanese kampungs.” “A lot of people couldn’t accept raw food,” Wonderful recalled. According to Wonderful, back in the day, traditional Japanese food wasn’t common, especially in Melaka. In the early days, Wa Zen prided itself on serving traditional Japanese cuisine. But through time and communication, we settled down.” From traditional to modern Japanese cuisine “We weren’t married yet in the beginning, and we had many disagreeing opinions. “To be honest, when we started, it was not easy at all,” she shared.

Only 23 years old when Wa Zen was launched, Wonderful never really intended on becoming a businesswoman. Yet, things weren’t completely smooth sailing. The couple in 2012 / Image Credit: Wa Zen

One of her suggestions is where Wa Zen still proudly sits today. On top of that, she also helped the young entrepreneurs scout the locations. “Basically, she helped us survey the market.” “They often mingled in Japanese associations, so the lady boss reached out to friends in Melaka to check on the Japanese population in town and what were the Japanese restaurants in the area,” Wonderful explained. Shaun’s former bosses not only gave him their blessings but also supported him with something priceless-connections. The two decided to come back to Melaka, where they’re both from, to start their entrepreneurial journey.

Wonderful, whose background is in chemical engineering, made up her mind to support her partner with the decision and join him in his efforts. Image Credit: Wa ZenĪfter working there for around five years, Shaun decided he wanted to come out and start his own venture. The couple who operated that restaurant had treated Shaun like a godson, teaching him the ropes of the industry, both in and out of the kitchen. Shaun’s career started in KL, where he experienced working in various Japanese restaurants before settling down at one particular restaurant headed by a chef from Japan and his wife. One thing that remained the same? The ambition and the passion of the founders-partners in life and in business, Shaun and Wonderful. It has always been in the same location, but underwent lots of changes throughout the years. Tucked in the ever-so-busy Melaka Raya, this hallmark of Japanese cuisine in Melaka first opened its doors in 2007. If you find yourself in Melaka and craving Japanese food, there’s nowhere I, a Melakan, would recommend as much as Wa Zen.

Zen japanese food