Part 5/8:
The business also grappled with persistent manpower issues. Prior to COVID-19, they could offer a junior chef a salary of about 6,200 to 6,800 ringgit. However, during the pandemic, the shortage of cooks worsened, and larger companies began offering wages nearly 1.5 to 2 times higher than what smaller businesses could match. These discrepancies made it difficult for smaller firms like this one to attract or retain skilled staff, directly impacting service quality and operational capacity.