Cili Padi Catering by Muni: A Taste of Home at the Vic Park Summer Street Party

Their recipes have been passed down from grandmother to mother, each refined with a personal touch that shines through in every dish.

If you’re planning to visit the Vic Park Summer Street Party this year, make sure you arrive hungry. One of the most exciting food stalls joining the lineup for the very first time is Cili Padi Catering by Muni, a family-run Malaysian business known for heartfelt cooking, long-time regulars, and flavours that remind people of home. Their story begins more than a decade ago in a family kitchen, and it’s one of those rare small-business journeys built on care, community, and consistency.

How it All Started

Cili Padi Catering officially began in 2013 thanks to Muni, whose home was often full of Malaysian university students craving the comfort of a home-cooked meal. Her cooking became the highlight of their week, and word spread until small catering requests turned into something bigger.

Soon after, the family decided to try a market stall at the Sunday Canning Vale Markets. It didn’t take long for regular customers to form, and many of them still visit every week to this day. Strong word of mouth pushed the business forward, and in time they expanded to a shopfront at Coventry Village in Morley. They’ve since become a familiar face at Canning Vale Weekend Markets and major night events like Curtin Pasar Malam.

Today, they’re aiming to be part of more large community events and attend multiple markets each week — which is what brings them to the Vic Park Summer Street Party for the first time.

Food Made the Way Mum Makes It

Everything about Cili Padi Catering’s food comes back to one intention: to make meals that feel like they came from your parents’ kitchen. Their recipes have been passed down from grandmother to mother, each refined with a personal touch that shines through in every dish.

Even though the business now runs from a commercial kitchen, nothing about their process has been rushed or scaled in a way that compromises flavour. They cook in small batches, simmer their sambal for eight full hours, and hand-skewer their chicken satay one stick at a time. It’s a hands-on approach that has set them apart since the beginning.

Their chicken satay and nasi lemak remain their most famous offerings, but the menu features other standouts that first-time visitors need to try: curry puffs, traditional fried chicken, and their striking Nasi Kerabu, made with blue pea flower rice. According to the family, these dishes say everything about who they are as a business — generous flavours, careful preparation, and the unmistakable warmth of a home-cooked meal.

A Business Built on Consistency

Ask anyone who knows Cili Padi Catering and they’ll tell you the same thing: they’ve never once compromised on taste. That consistency is what the family considers their biggest achievement. For years they operated with almost no social media presence, yet they sold out at every event they attended. Customers told them the food was even better than what they grew up with in Malaysia. Others came back week after week for the same dishes.

For a small business, there’s no greater measure of success than loyal returning customers — and they’ve built their reputation entirely on those relationships.

The business has always been family-run. After more than a decade of hard work, the demands of growth became too much for Muni and her husband to manage on their own. That’s when their child, Nour, decided to take a leap. Leaving behind a full-time career as a strength and rehabilitation coach, Nour stepped in to take the business forward and support their parents. The transition brought new energy, new ideas, and the excitement of being able to build something meaningful together.

Keeping Traditions, Minimising Waste

Cili Padi Catering keeps their approach simple and responsible. They use the required sustainable packaging and work hard to minimise food waste by preparing what they know they can sell. Small-batch cooking helps keep everything fresh without unnecessary excess.

Like most food businesses, balancing quality ingredients with affordable pricing is a constant challenge. They want to keep their dishes accessible while staying true to the flavours their customers expect. It’s a delicate balance, but one they take seriously.

Looking ahead, the family hopes to expand their reach by attending more markets, launching a food truck, and bottling their sambal so people can enjoy it at home.

Their First Vic Park Summer Street Party

This year will be their first appearance at the Vic Park Summer Street Party, and they’re genuinely excited to introduce their food to a whole new community. 

If you want to understand what makes Cili Padi Catering special, start with their chicken satay, curry puffs, traditional fried chicken, or their blue pea flower Nasi Kerabu. These dishes capture the heart of the business, and tasting them feels a bit like being welcomed into the family home.

To follow their journey or learn more, you can find them on Facebook (Cili Padi Catering by Aunty Muni) and Instagram (@cilipadicafe).