Shwe Sa Bwe – Where Myanmar's Future Chefs and Restaurant Managers Are Made

It is already widely known that Shwe Sa Bwe is one of the best restaurants in Yangon serving modern European cuisine. However, a less well-known fact is that Shwe Sa Bwe is also a place where the chefs and restaurant managers of the future are being born. For underprivileged young people in Myanmar, Shwe Sa Bwe is also a place where they can turn their dreams into reality.

Most of the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities that businesses undertake amount to simply donating to a cause in need. But the social work that Shwe Sa Bwe carries out goes beyond that kind of donation. Social contribution has been an essential part of the business ever since Shwe Sa Bwe came into being.

Shwe Sa Bwe was founded eight years ago by a French social entrepreneur, with the aim of teaching young Myanmar people how to cook and prepare European dishes, enabling them to acquire new vocational skills necessary for life and to build a better future for themselves. All students who come to learn are provided free accommodation and free tuition, and are also helped to find employment after completing the course.

In addition, in order to recruit new students, the organization also reaches out to orphanages, monasteries, and non-governmental organizations across Myanmar to gather trainees. Although there are many applicants who sign up for the course each year, there are certain qualifications required to be accepted. Davy Elpidio Eek, Executive Chef and Co-owner of Shwe Sa Bwe, said, "Trainees don't need to be skilled in cooking or know about service before joining the course. What matters most is having the desire to learn, being interested in the training, and having discipline."

To date, Shwe Sa Bwe has trained around 200 students in service and kitchen management. Over the course of the one-year program, trainees first learn the theory of cooking and kitchen operations, and then move on to hands-on practical training and basic English lessons. In addition, they are also taught how to create new menus and develop new wines and cocktails.

Many graduates of Shwe Sa Bwe's training program are now working in upscale restaurants, hotels, and river cruises across Myanmar. "When I tell restaurants that I'm applying to that I trained at Shwe Sa Bwe, they treat us with respect and hire us," said Yoshua, a former Shwe Sa Bwe trainee who is currently working as a Sous Chef at two high-end restaurants in Yangon. Like Yoshua, this year's 23 new trainees are also eager to learn, driven by the desire to truly realize their dreams.

Ma Nyo Thandar, a service (waitstaff) trainee who is excited and full of hope for the future, also shared her plans after completing the course. "I want to work at a hotel in Myanmar, and later on, maybe abroad," said Ma Nyo Thandar, who was left at an orphanage in Mingalardon at the age of three and has had no contact with her parents since. She also said that once she succeeds, she wants to give back and support the orphanage in return.

As a self-sustaining business, Shwe Sa Bwe uses the income generated from its restaurant operations to support its training program. At a time when new restaurants are opening in Yangon every week, Shwe Sa Bwe relies on customers who want to enjoy exceptional dishes and high-quality cocktails while also supporting a meaningful cause at the same time.

Currently, Shwe Sa Bwe has been temporarily closed since July for renovations. It is also known that the restaurant will reopen in mid-August this year to once again receive support from customers and travelers from around the world who wish to support social enterprises in Myanmar.

Although Shwe Sa Bwe serves high-quality dishes and beverages, because its ingredients are purchased directly from local farmers and producers, its prices remain more reasonable compared to most fine-dining restaurants in Yangon. A Three-course Dinner or Tasting Menu (consisting of an appetizer, a main dish, and a dessert) costs between 50,000 and 65,000 Myanmar kyats (33 to 43 USD), while a Bistro Lunch per person costs between 15,000 and 20,000 kyats (10 to 13 USD). However, what truly sets Shwe Sa Bwe apart from other restaurants is its authenticity, warmth, and the smiles and professional service provided by its trainee staff.

At most restaurants, the satisfaction customers feel usually lasts only for the moment they are dining. But at Shwe Sa Bwe, visitors can also enjoy the added joy of knowing they are playing a part in passing on knowledge and skills to the next generation.