“You can open 100 restaurants, but I guarantee 70 of them will shut down within three years, unless you’re truly passionate and committed,” says Riyasutin Mohamed Dulkif, Group Managing Director of Q Bistro Restaurants.
It’s a hard truth few admit, but for Riyas, it’s a reality he knows intimately, forged through years of grit, grief, and a deep love for food passed down from his father.
Where It All Began for Q Bistro Founder
The journey of Q Bistro actually begins in 1968, in the small town of Batu Gajah, Perak, where Riyas’ father, Mohamed Dulkif, started a humble food business. His goal? To serve hearty Indian Muslim food to the local community. The response was overwhelming, prompting him to seek bigger opportunities in Kuala Lumpur.
There, he opened his first stall in Taman Midah, followed by outlets in Jalan Chan Sow Lin, Len Seng Garden, and Taman Tenaga, Cheras. Alongside his wife, he built the business the hard way, waking up before dawn to drive a school van in the mornings, and serving roti canai and nasi lemak in the evenings.
But in 1993, everything changed. Mohamed Dulkif passed away suddenly at just 51. His teenage son Riyas was only 13 years old.
“After school, I’d help my mother at the stall,” Riyas recalls.
“That was where I learned about business. Not from a book, but from watching her, day in and day out, to keep our family afloat.”
A New Generation Takes the Baton
Driven by that same resilience, Riyas launched his own stall at 17, partnering with his best friend Haja Najmuddin. It was a small, night-only operation in Pandan Perdana, but it was the beginning of something bigger.
Two years later, with a RM30,000 investment from his mother, they opened their first proper restaurant: Hajris. It marked a turning point; from surviving on stall income to building a real business.
By the early 2000s, the duo had expanded rapidly, but it was in 2008 that the brand took its biggest leap forward.
Enter Q Bistro
In Bandar Sri Permaisuri, Cheras, they launched the first outlet under a bold new name: Q Bistro.
Q Bistro wasn’t just another mamak. It was a modern, vibrant, full-dining concept offering more than 200 menu items, spanning Indian, Chinese, Malay, Thai, and even Western cuisines. From roti canai to nasi goreng USA, murtabak to cheesy meatballs, the idea was to turn the humble mamak into a lifestyle dining experience, without losing its Malaysian soul.
Built on Family, Fuelled by Passion
Today, Q Bistro is more than just a restaurant. It’s a living tribute to a father’s hard work, a mother’s resilience, and a son’s unwavering passion.
With 23 outlets and growing, the brand has evolved into a franchise-ready model, one that Riyas believes can travel beyond Malaysian borders.
From a small-town stall in Batu Gajah to one of Malaysia’s most recognisable dining brands, Q Bistro is proof that great things can come from humble beginnings. All it takes is heart, heritage, and a whole lot of hustle.
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