Muhammad Rizal Bin Sunalim | IKEA Food Business

Funnily enough, it was my brother who encouraged me to join IKEA way back in 2004. I joined as fryer at the bistro, and yes, I had a hand in making those famous delicious curry puffs that IKEA is known for! Eventually, I moved on from the bistro to the restaurant where I am attached to at present.

There really is no typical day for me! It generally starts with me checking the schedule for the day and the manpower that I have for the day. I will then move on to inspect our ingredients and food packages, to ensure we have sufficient stock and that our food items are fresh and well within their expiry dates. Food safety is my topmost priority. Then I will check on the cleanliness of the restaurant before moving on to brief my team on our targets and goals for the day. I will join with my team to prepare for the store opening as we will have hungry customers waiting to start their morning with us! During peak hours I will be there with my team to serve our customers wherever I can pitch in to help – be it cooking, serving or washing dishes. I then spend the rest of my day on administrative work and ordering our supply for the next day.

There are no two days that are alike. It’s always about learning and being on the way. Every day brings its share of rewards and challenges, but ultimately my motivation is in seeing my team serving with a smile on their faces. When my co-workers are happy, I know this would ultimately be translated to happy customers.

I completely identify with Humbleness and Willpower. I love the fact that everyone is the same and gets treated the same, regardless what their designation says. We are like one big family.

Be prepared to work hard and never stop learning. The spirit of togetherness and enthusiasm is alive in my store, the people are wonderful, and I honestly love what I do. This is my first job, and I believe that this will be my only job as I plan to stay and grow here as IKEA grows. That’s the great thing about working at IKEA - you are growing in one big happy family.