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  Liu Jingxing cooks on a chair. (Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily)

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  Liu can walk slowly with a walking aid. (Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily)

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  A special sliding chair in the kitchen. (Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily)

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  Hing Kee Restaurant. (Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily)

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  Delicious dishes prepared by Liu Jingxing. (Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily)

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KLANG, SELANGOR: With his deep interest in cooking, a paralysed man achieved his dream by becoming a cook.

Liu Jingxing, 49, was a cook before he became paralysed after a surgery when he was 33.

However, he did not give up. In Dec 2009, he started his new live by rending a shop in Klang to open a restaurant.

As he was unable to stand or walk, he created a “mobile” special chair, which allowed him to cook easier.

His kitchen was specially designed for him, too. The cooking range was low and seasoning were placed at places which were easily reachable by him.

As Liu had to cook on a chair, he asked someone to make a sliding ion plate that allowed him to easily move between the cooking range and a table.

He proudly told everyone that that it was a "special kitchen" created by himself.

One month before he opened his restaurant, he trained himself to cook on the chair for a long time, so that he could get used to the new environment quickly.

Liu said that he did not feel tired cooking on the chair. However, he would easily feel hot as his body was a bit too close to the cooking stove. Therefore, he would bring a towel with him when cooking.

Although he felt hot every time he cooked, he enjoyed cooking and took it as his second life.

Liu told Sin Chew Daily that he was not born paralysed. He had a surgery when he was 33 because of spasm. However, the surgery damaged his nerve and he became paralysed. After going through medical treatments for a few times, he could walk slowly with a walking aid.

"It was in 1994. I had just opened a restaurant in Banting with my three younger brothers and I was in charge of cooking. The accident made me unable to cook for six months."

During that time, my brother had to in charge of kitchen work. I verbally taught him how to cook until he could do well.

"After that, I could only in charge of some easy work or chat with customers. I would help my brothers in the kitchen when we had dinner parties."

Although kitchen was spacious and he could cook on a chair, he might still disturb others. Therefore, he only went into the kitchen when they needed help.

As he spent most of his time in the kitchen, he would feel uneasy when he was not cooking. He decided to start his own business when he had an opportunity.

Liu could cook various Fuzhou dishes. Although he had to cook on a chair, his cooking skill was not affected.

Liu said that his family had contributed a lot to his success. He might not make it without their support.

Liu and wife Lin Yaying had a son and three daughters. All of them helped in the restaurant and his son was a good assistant to him.

Lin said that Liu was hot-tempered at first but he became optimistic after he started cooking again.

"He was fat before this, but now he is loosing weight. We feel relieved to let him do what he wants as he looks really happy with it."

Their restaurant only opened from 8am until 3pm so that Liu would not get too tired. (Translated by YOU HSUEH LIN/ Sin Chew Daily)