He didn’t know it then, but that one curious neighbour would unknowingly launch a halal comfort-food brand that now feeds dozens across the Klang Valley.
This customer loved it so much that he began talking about it in the residents’ WhatsApp group, turning Laurey’s lasagna into the unofficial star of his condominium block.
“He actually did the advertising for me,” Laureys shared with a grin. “From that point, more residents ordered. It grew from something very small to this.”
Today, the 37-year-old from Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, runs C’est Halal Gourmet from a central kitchen in Taman Melawati here, specialising in rich, saucy lasagna and hearty shepherd’s pie in chicken, lamb and beef varieties.
But the real reason he started doing this? Homesickness.
“The first time I came to Malaysia, I wanted to eat lasagna,” he recalled. “I found some, but I really didn’t like it. It was very dry, almost no sauce, and had a lack of cheese flavour.
“So that’s why I wanted to sell lasagna – to make it better and show people how lasagna actually tastes.”
Laureys describes his cooking as authentic, although not tied to a specific Italian region. Instead, it reflects the discipline and techniques he learnt under European chefs.
“I respect the way I make it. Like the sauce, I make it very slow. I don’t rush it, so that the flavours can be tasted when you eat it. It’s authentic in cooking style.”
That slow, rich flavour is what surprises customers the most. Many expect a light baked pasta, but what they receive is a generously layered tray packed with sauce and cheese.
“They are always very surprised by the portion and the taste because they don’t expect it from this kind of lasagna,” he noted. “Some people even bring it to their families by airplane because it’s so good. I’m proud of that.”
FMT Lifestyle tried the beef lasagna and the verdict? Comfort in every bite.
Rich, flavourful and unapologetically indulgent, the dish comes layered with a generous amount of cheese and béchamel sauce, packed with savoury meaty filling that leaves no corner empty.
One serving is more than enough to satisfy – which explains why customers keep coming back for more.
From holiday to halal
Long before Malaysia, Laureys spent 16 years working in Belgium’s food scene. He began as a bartender at age 17, and later trained in professional kitchens under chefs from both Belgium and England, learning Mediterranean and Spanish techniques along the way.
Malaysia was only meant to be temporary. “I came here for a vacation. Then I met my wife, we got married, and we decided to open a business together.”
His conversion to Islam soon followed – a turning point that now shapes everything about his kitchen.
“Everything we purchase, I always check if it has the halal symbol. I also check suppliers because we work with raw meat. Halal is very important to me. I’m also a two-year Muslim, so I prioritise it,” he said.
Despite receiving between 30 and 50 orders daily – and once hitting 70 in a day – Laureys insists on pre-orders only.
“The sauce cannot be used the same day. It needs to rest at least one night so the flavour enhances. Also, I don’t want to cook too much and throw it away,” he said.
This careful approach is also why Laureys is delaying any menu expansion. New lasagna varieties are already in the works, but they will only be introduced after Ramadan so quality remains intact.
“I don’t want to rush things too quickly,” he stressed. “Quality first. Always.”
And that mindset is what has carried C’est Halal Gourmet from a single WhatsApp order in a condo kitchen to food so beloved, customers fly it across state lines.
Find out more about C’est Halal Gourmet here, as well as on Facebook and Instagram.