"I Saved So Many... But I Couldn't Save Him" — Nursing Home Founder Mourns Chef's Death
Chen Wen Yuan (transliteration) was described as the residence's most loyal chef.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 10 Mar 2025, 05:56 PM
The Peace and Harmony Home community is grieving the sudden passing of their cherished 73-year-old chef Chen Wen Yuan (transliteration), who dedicated the past decade to providing delicious meals for its residents
Founded in 2015 by Tan Swee Ban, Peace and Harmony Home is a non-profit old folks' home in Penang. Chen had been by Tan's side since the very beginning.
Chen, the residence's most loyal chef, died of a heart attack last Friday, 7 March. Despite Tan rushing to his home to administer first aid, his efforts were in vain, reported China Press.
"I saved so many elderly, but I couldn't save him," Tan, 60, lamented.
Tan recalled how Chen treated him like his own son. "Every year on my birthday, he would personally cook red eggs and noodles (a Chinese tradition) for me, something he never even did for his own family members," Tan said.
Chen's eldest daughter shared that her father woke up before 5am every day to purchase fresh ingredients from the market and prepare meals for the elderly residents.
Rain or shine, 364 days a year, Chen performed this duty tirelessly, even using his own money to buy ingredients when donations were low.
"If someone donated, he would be responsible for cooking. If no one donated, he would buy the ingredients out of his pocket and cook it himself, and deliver it himself," said his daughter.
Three years ago, when Chen was involved in a motorcycle accident, he ignored his injuries and insisted on delivering the food he had prepared for the residents
His story went viral at the time, with thousands of netizens admiring his sense of duty, reported Sin Chew Daily.
His daughter said Chen was committed to feeding the elderly residents on time.
"He would even scold me if I was a little late. He said, 'We can't let the elderly go hungry. They need to eat on time,'" recounted the daughter.
Tan shared that when some elderly residents heard about Chen's death, they burst into tears. "He did a lot for us, consistently thinking of new ways to cook different meals every day to ensure we had variety."
"He was the first person to cook for the elderly when our nursing home was first established. I felt relieved to have him around," Tan related.
Chen's family members, who are also in the food and beverage industry, have vowed to continue their father's legacy by providing meals for Peace and Harmony Home.
"He did this for ten years. Now, we will inherit his spirit," Chen's daughter shared.
For more information about Peace and Harmony Home, read FMT's exclusive piece here.
Alternatively, you can also watch Zestie Malaysia's video of the old folks' home here:
