Many of us grew up satisfying our sugar cravings at Swensen’s, with its mouthwatering ice cream sundaes and comfort American diner food, which was founded by Earle Swensen in 1948. With the opening of Swensen’s latest restaurant in First World Plaza, Resorts World Genting, shareholder and board member Yong Mien Dee is hoping to evoke cherished memories for Malaysians with each spoonful of their timeless favourites. Stepping away from their classic ice cream parlour designs, the new two-storey outlet takes on a futuristic-inspired concept, with a bird’s eye view of the surrounding theme park and a state-of-the-art kinetic light performance.
Besides being involved with her family business, Global Kiara Investments, Yong is also the founder and director of Course Networking, a social learning and collaboration platform for education, corporate and government institutions. She is also the proud mother of two (with a third on the way).
There are currently so many ice cream brands in the market, what do you think makes Swensen’s stand out from the rest, especially for the new Resorts World Genting outlet?
The reason why we decided to embark on this franchise is because it’s nostalgic. For Generation Y and above, we remember Swensen’s as a family diner filled with joyful moments. When I was a child, I used to have the banana split and it was a real treat. As a parent, I wanted these memories to be extended to my children. Opening it directly opposite the Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park, which is a happy place for everyone, is a direct extension of this thought process and makes perfect sense. There is a scooping station downstairs and a seating area upstairs that gives you a view of the massive LED screens and the casino, and you can even see people gliding on the flying fox. It gives you a nice buzzing feeling from all the excitement while you dig into your ice cream.
What is your favourite Swensen’s ice cream flavour and what is a must-try item there?
Besides the iconic sticky chewy chocolate, my personal favourite is the macadamia nut and the salted butterscotch crumble. These go perfectly with our homemade waffles. A must-try that is unique to Malaysia is our Musang King durian ice cream.
What is your most memorable achievement?
I always wanted to be an entrepreneur because my parents are in the power utility industry. My most memorable achievement was when I started my education software company, Course Networking. My last corporate job in Chicago was with PwC and I worked with the Malaysian government; but when starting your own business, you have to build it from scratch. It’s not so much about where I’ve gotten, but more about the journey that allows me to make better decisions now.
What is your favourite childhood memory?
My favourite childhood memory is of the annual holidays with my parents. My parents were entrepreneurs who started off as a two-man show and grew it to a 300- to 400-strong company before selling it off to Toshiba. Because they were so busy, it was our special time together and we would go to islands such as Pulau Tioman. This was back when there were no hotels so we would camp out under the stars. We would do fun activities such as snorkelling and fishing.
If you could learn a new skill, what would it be?
Right now, I really want to learn Mandarin. I speak to my grandmother in Mandarin, but I have difficulty understanding it or putting sentences together. With the rise of China and Asia, it is so important to converse in Mandarin for business. I’m taking classes right now where there’s an exam at the end of every module. It’s a skill I’d definitely like to hone.
Who is your inspiration?
My inspirations are my uncle and my ex-boss. They are in private equity, and they retired early and travel the world multiple times a year to play golf. As a woman, I find it difficult to juggle between trying to raise a family, having a good household, having a good relationship with my husband, and being a daughter, sister and daughter-in-law. There are so many roles one has to play. I enjoy helping businesses and seeing them grow so I can see myself being in the private equity space where I can do that and have family time.
Where is your favourite place to holiday?
I used to make it a point to climb mountains at least once a year before I got married and had kids. I’ve done Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Fuji, and of course Mount Kinabalu. I’m now pregnant with my third child but I hope to go to Mount Everest’s base camp next year. I find it peaceful when I take in the beautiful scenery there.
As a working mother of two, how do you find calm?
I find calm from exercising and meditation. I meditate though it is tough, and my mind does wander. This is when I collect my thoughts and it’s a time for myself in the morning before I work and before my day starts. I also find calm in having a plan for each month and even the year. I’m still achieving my balance with my family, the world and my personal goals. If I don’t have a plan, I feel very lost.
Photography: Anna-Rina
