If you walk into Matata Kitchen in Labasa Town, the first face you are likely to see is that of 34-year-old Rizwan Sheik Madar.
Rizwan, welcomes customers with a warm smile. Behind that smile is a story of resistance and hard work.
He was brought up by hardworking parents, his father sold produce at the market while his mother stayed home doing domestic duties. Money was always tight.
He remembers waking up early in the mornings to help his mother and father at home before leaving for school.
However, his parents could not afford to pay for school fees after he completed Form 6.
“My parents couldn’t afford to put me through further education because they were farming. I had to stop school early.”
With only two siblings in the family and him being the youngest, he knew he had to find work quickly to support them.
He walked into Matata Kitchen as a teenager and took the first job that was offered to him.
It was not glamorous.
He started at the very bottom, washing dishes, scrubbing pots, cleaning the kitchen, and doing whatever small tasks needed to be done.
He remembers those early days clearly.
Despite having no cooking background, he had a strong desire to learn.
He was taken under the wing of the cook at the restaurant who trained him.
“She taught me everything, from baking to cooking and all the Fijian dishes.
Over time, he mastered the flavours of fish lolo, rourou and other dishes that customers now look forward to every day.
Through patience, honesty, and a strong work ethic, he slowly gained the trust of the restaurant owners.
His responsibilities grew, and with every new dish he learned, he gained confidence.
“I think I’ve been working for Matata for about 15 or 16 years now.”
Today, he manages Matata Kitchen with little supervision from the owner.
“Now I’m managing the restaurant.”
He said his bond with the owner had grown so strong that he describes their relationship as brotherly.
“We treat each other like brothers.”
The success he has achieved through this job means the world to him.
“I look after my family. I have done everything for them.”
Every hour spent in the kitchen, every tray of pastries pulled out of the oven, and every plate served to customers is motivated by his desire to give his family a life far more secure than what he had.
Rizwan said he hoped his trust and hard work would take him far in life, and his story would encourage others who may feel stuck or limited by their circumstances.
“Be patient. Keep moving forward and don’t lose hope. I was just a Form 6 student, and I started small. But I knew that if I kept going, I would reach somewhere good.”
He calls on people of Labasa not to lose hope even when things don’t go according to plan.
