Take a walk with me, if you will, back through time. It’s mid 2019 and Provisions Café has just opened in Damansara Jaya. 

Provisions quickly settles in on the same street as its sister restaurant Li, with word of mouth spreading about its sourdough bread, loaf cakes and coffee. But just six months later, Covid strikes. Their promising start crumbles, and things get very hard as Malaysia goes into lockdown.

Many other new ventures didn’t make it through that period. Fortunately for Provisions, those months of relying on Beep orders and food deliveries had an unexpected upside: they saw demand for their bread and cakes growing as people ordered in, or sent care packages.

“The lovely community around Provisions Café definitely played a huge part in helping us pull through,” says co-founder Lee Ziyan (34). “During that period, everyone was looking for comfort, connection, and a sense of care — and we were grateful to be able to provide that in our own small way.”

Adding a personal touch, the team wrote handwritten notes on every paper bag sent out of their store, and went out of their way to manage deliveries.

The three founders—Lee, with Lim Yee Rui (35) and chef Lim Heng Kit (35)—were university friends in Melbourne, and all went on to work in food and hospitality there. When they returned to Malaysia, they saw an opportunity to bring those experiences to Malaysia.

In 2016, they started with Li, a modern Malaysian restaurant in Damansara Jaya. Despite being a small restaurant run by fresh faces, it punched above its weight, serving an elegant take on Malaysian comfort food that soon drew a loyal following.

Because sourdough bread—with their signature kaya—was a staple at Li, it made sense for their next venture to expand on the bakery concept. In 2019, the team opened Provisions just a few doors down, with a cheerful, deep orange facade and an excellent array of bread, cakes, and brunch dishes.

In 2023, they opened a third venture, Locus: an intimate and more upscale restaurant. With Locus, the aim is to focus on “slowing people down in a relaxed environment that feels like home,” says Lee. “With great food and hospitality, while you still can be yourself too.”

But last year saw a turning point for the restaurant group. They made the difficult decision to close Li, their original restaurant, as they decided to move forward with pork-free ventures. They also closed down their second outlet of Provisions, which had opened in Mont Kiara’s OOAK building in 2022.

“One of the biggest challenges with the second branch of Provisions Café at OOAK was the location itself—it was quite hidden,” explains Lee. “We were mainly serving the OOAK residents and nearby neighbours who already knew about us, which made it challenging to build stronger walk-in traffic and wider visibility.” 

“People remember how a place makes them feel beyond, not just the food itself.”

This year, the team marks a decade since they first started in the restaurant business. One of the biggest lessons they carry forward, says Lee, is “understanding that people remember how a place makes them feel beyond, not just the food itself.”

“That continues to shape both Provisions Café and Locus today—from the hospitality and atmosphere to the way we connect with our guests and community.”

Seven years since it started, Provisions is thriving, and many of those old customers are still regulars. This year, the team has revamped the Provisions logo, space and menu. Beyond the original brunch staples, the menu has expanded with pastas, burgers and rice bowls. These include the chicken rice bowl, familiar to fans of Li, where the dish was a bestseller. 

Fortunately, Provisions’ iconic tomato soup with grilled cheese is still a fixture. And the café still retains the same warmth and personal service as before. A certified neighbourhood gem, it draws in everyone from families with young children to office workers and retirees.

“The F&B industry can be very rewarding at the end of the day, but it also comes with a lot of doubts, pressure and uncertainties,” says Lee. 

“At the same time, don’t forget the connections… especially with the team, customers, and the community,” she adds.

They’ve watched both their team and their customers grow alongside them. Their regulars have been with them from dating to getting married and starting families. And their team has become “more confident, responsible and capable”.

She’s proud that they’ve survived difficult seasons—“financially and emotionally”—while still keeping the doors open. 

“Resilience, for me, comes from truly understanding your purpose and being willing to adapt along the journey,” says Lee.

Her advice to people starting out in the business? “Keep learning, stay humble, and remember that consistency matters more than perfection.”