Highlights
- Becoming a chef taught personal trainer Albin Lawang how to have a healthier and happier relationship with food.
- Albin created his doughnut business, Pecks Road Cheat Meals, with his brothers.
- He plans on releasing more Asian and Filipino flavours before the year ends.
"It was a no-brainer to create this business with my brothers. Kuya [older brother] Arbi is great at film and photography. Kuya AJ does web design and marketing. I take care of making the doughnuts and eating them," personal trainer and chef Albin Lawang laughs, "For market research, of course."
The three brothers own and operate the donut business, Pecks Road Cheat Meals.
The Lawang brothers: AJ, Albin and Arbi Source: Arbi Lawang
Shared love of sweets
Working as a personal trainer and competing in bodybuilding competitions, Albin admits that he had a rather unhealthy relationship with food.
"I saw food as a source of fuel. I did strict dieting but some days, the hunger would force me to binge eat.
Albin winning first place at the 2019 Men's Physique Open and, Albin as a chef. Source: Albin Lawang
"When I became a chef and worked for restaurants like Hellenic Republic and Kettle Black, my perspective shifted. I realised that food isn't just fuel. It's about balance. It's about bringing people together and sharing happiness. I thought that the best way to share that joy was through the shape of a donut."
While a personal trainer going into the donut business may seem unlikely, Albin shares that sweets have always been part of the family's menu.
"I thought that the best way to share that joy was through the shape of a donut." Source: Arbi Lawang
"My whole family has a sweet tooth. I had a dangerously large sweet tooth growing up - so did my brothers."
Brothers in business
With the brothers' shared love for sweets and complementary temperaments, developing a business together was easy.
"We're working out of the kitchen of St. Burgs at Caroline Springs. Not only are they beyond generous, they've been a major inspiration to us because they're also brothers who put up a business.
"People say that you shouldn't run a business with your family because of arguments; but to be honest, I share an amazing dynamic with my kuyas. We've constantly supported each other and we've always been close growing up."
"We're working out of the kitchen of St. Burgs at Caroline Springs." Source: Arbi Lawang
It is that experience growing up that actually inspired the name of their business as well.
"Pecks Road is the name of the street where we grew up. Coincidentally, I'm a fitness fanatic and 'Pecks' as a play-on-words on 'Pecs' resonated with me. We added "cheat meals" to the name because in the fitness industry, a 'cheat meal' is an indulgence. We use it to ground and treat ourselves after weeks of strict dieting."
The Lawang brothers at their family home on Pecks Road. Source: Albin Lawang
Doughnut days
What the brothers chose to ground and treat themselves with are handmade artisanal doughnuts.
"Our process takes two days - from fermenting the dough, to developing the protein and gluten in the dough so that they come out big, but airy and light. We end up with a much fluffier and lighter product compared to, say, cake donuts which are dense."
Currently, the brothers agree that their favourite variants are the PB&J and cinnamon roll doughnuts.
"We're planning to release more Filipino flavours in our upcoming specials though. We'll have the ube [purple yam] doughnut with ube crinkles; and leche flan, which is a favourite dessert of our family.
Currently, the brothers agree that their favourite variants are the PB&J and cinnamon roll doughnuts. Source: Arbi Lawang
"We're aiming to release these variants before Christmas. We want to highlight the sweets we serve during Filipino Christmas parties - the ones we always look forward to sharing on a communal table."
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