Mariae Hackett started Dapur Mariae around five years ago, offering her signature sauce, private chef bookings, supper clubs, and takeaways with her husband Gerard Hackett who is a trained chef.
What started as a small business in their Maple Cross home kitchen moved to home deliveries in the Watford area during lockdown, local markets and fairs, and then Co-op incubator scheme, 'The Apiary', which offers mentoring for small suppliers.The project got Dapur Mariae’s Malay, Peanut, and Sambal sauces on Co-op shelves before, last week, they launched at Selfridges in a landmark moment for the recipes' creator.
She says that her products set themselves apart by sticking to the authentic Malaysian way of cooking and not cutting corners or changing the recipe to make it more in line with what western customers expect. The 56-year-old added: “Basically it’s a very cherished family recipe that I’ve adapted to make it my own.Despite not compromising on taste, the goal was still to make genuine Malaysian dishes accessible for all and the whole range can be enjoyed by anyone and is vegan friendly and gluten free.
The next goal is to get Dapur Mariae products on even more shelves, including more independent butchers and delis both locally and nationally as well as in big-name stores including Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues.