DEMONSTRATING the vibrant local entrepreneurial spirit within Penang’s thriving culinary scene, former teacher Rachel Rajendran has successfully reinvented her career path by opening Hundred Grams Cafe, a boutique dessert spot serving fresh Hungarian chimney cakes and artisanal gelato.
Located in the heart of George Town’s popular tourist precinct, the cafe offers handcrafted desserts made fresh daily, attracting a steady mix of local Penangites and international visitors.
Rachel, 34, holds a background in accounting and finance but spent seven years as a Mathematics and Accounts teacher before deciding to pursue her passion for baking and food full-time in Penang.
Her initial business attempt in 2019 at Bishop Street was forced to close due to operational challenges during the Movement Control Order (MCO). Undeterred, she regrouped with her partner, undergoing months of planning and equipment sourcing before launching Hundred Grams Cafe.
“I was initially hesitant to start over, but with strong support from my family and husband, we decided to push forward.
“Our goal was to create a warm, welcoming space where families can gather, relax, and enjoy high-quality desserts together,” Rachel said during an interview at her cafe recently.
The cafe’s core specialty is Kürtőskalács, a traditional Hungarian chimney cake baked fresh in an open-concept kitchen right in front of customers. The freshly prepared dough is wrapped around wooden rollers, proofed, caramelised with sugar, and grilled to produce a crispy exterior with a soft interior.
To complement the warm pastry, Rachel serves freshly made, artisanal Italian gelato. Having undertaken extensive training under an Italian chef, she maintains a library of 50 custom gelato recipes and rotates 16 distinct flavors on a daily basis.
“Everything here is crafted from scratch using our own recipes without relying on pre-made mixes,” Rachel emphasised. “Customers can always expect new and unique flavor offerings every time they visit.”
To keep handcrafted quality accessible, the menu features standalone Hungarian chimney cones starting at RM6.90 across six coating options including cinnamon, toasted coconut, oreo, and peanut.
For the complete signature dessert experience, customers can pair a warm chimney cone with a scoop of freshly made gelato for RM17.90, alongside options for individual gelato cups and a variety of hot and cold beverages.
In keeping with Penang’s diverse culinary culture, the cafe frequently incorporates local Malaysian flavors such as Pandan Coconut Gula Melaka. The menu is also vegetarian-friendly, with almost all gelato offerings being eggless.
Named after its standard 100-gram gelato serving portion, Hundred Grams Cafe operates daily from 12pm to 10pm (extending to 10.30pm on weekends). The cafe maintains an open tasting policy, allowing customers to sample available gelato flavours prior to making their order.
Story by Sarbeyshwaran Rajalingam