In South East Asia there is a flatbread with a long, beloved story. The Roti, an unleavened bread cooked on an iron griddle, which dates back generation upon generation, its soft texture a veritable mirror of the past. A culinary staple in South East Asia, a roti is a cherished integral part of the daily diet, connecting family and friends with their present and past.
In the year 2000, a mother with a passion of baking stands in her kitchen in
Malaysia with her hands and attention focused on challenging the shape and texture of the roti dough. She loved coming up with new recipes and this favorite flatbread was a great place to start. Her goal was to create a brand new version of it – a roti bun. In 2002, she delivers a round, bun like roti to her son, watching tentatively as he bites into its warm, moist center. Little did she know , in one mouthful, her delicate, coffee caramel coated crunchy on the outside pastry with its rich buttery filling would have him hooked, changing the trajectory of all their lives forever! PappaRoti – Father of all Buns – is born.
In 2003, the first PappaRoti store opens in Malaysia, selling freshly baked – hot out of the oven roti buns, with their surfaces coated with a sweet caramelized coffee caramel cream and a secret pocket of salted butter in the middle, making them irresistible to anyone who takes just one bite. Paired with a delectable assortment of teas and coffee, the PappaRoti cafe catapults to fame, its name peppered across the country. Everyday new enthusiasts succumb to the crisp, crunchy exterior and its hot, fluffy inside which encapsulates the perfect mix of sweet and salty. In fourteen short years, over 400 PappaRoti cafes and kiosks have opened their doors across Asia, the Middle East, Australia, England and now North America. At each one, the response to this light, fluffy, decadent roti bun is the same: sheer ecstasy.