Tastemakers: Ex-teacher sells modernised nasi padang to preserve parents' food legacy

Mr Eugene Tan, co-owner of Serangoon BBQ & Curry, and nasi padang bowls sold at his outlets. ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
SINGAPORE – While his classmates spent weekends at play and enjoyed family outings during school holidays, Mr Eugene Tan's boyhood memories are of cutting long beans and gutting fish at his parents' nasi padang stall.
By age 13, he was dispatching live crabs. His brother, who is two years younger, began helping out too, at age seven. 'Our school holidays were spent doing 'child labour' and 'interning' at our parents' stall,' says Mr Tan, a 46-year-old former teacher.
At first, it felt novel. 'When I was 12, it was fun learning how to clean seafood,' he says. His brother was eager to fry eggs and omelettes. But they quickly realised that once they mastered a task, it became part of their responsibilities.
The worst job was cutting 4kg of long beans at a time, Mr Tan recalls with a grimace. It was difficult slicing them so precisely that his parents would not scold him for wasting edible ends.
'They were frugal and very conscious about cost and minimising food wastage,' he says.
The work was demanding, but after initial resentment, Mr Tan appreciated the time spent with his parents, Mr Tan Tiam Bock, 74, and Madam Cheong Chiew Leng, 70. He also developed a deep respect for the dishes they cooked at Serangoon Nasi Padang, first opened at the now-defunct Somerset Eating House in 1983.
One of his happiest memories is his father taking the family to Commonwealth Crescent Market for fish head beehoon at 9pm after work, which both he and his mother loved. Mr Tan and his brother used to help out on weekends and during their school holidays.
By 15, he understood why his parents needed help. 'They gave us whatever we needed without spoiling us. I learnt the value of hard work and how money is not easy to come by.'
That lesson stayed with him through a 14-year teaching career, a postgraduate scholarship and a switch to the corporate world. But in 2021, Mr Tan left his job as a trainer and business development manager at an aesthetics group, returning to the sambal-scented world of his childhood to preserve his parents' nasi padang legacy.
The couple never expected either son to take over the business as they believed a food stall offered poor prospects.
Mr Tan had pursued education, inspired by his teachers at Clementi Town Secondary School. With a social science degree and a post-graduate diploma in education from the National Institute of Education, he returned to teach English at his alma mater.
He later earned a master's degree in education, curriculum and teaching from the same institute, and became a curriculum policy officer at the Ministry of Education.
He had once aspired to be a principal, but his perspective changed in 2017 while teaching General Paper and heading the student leadership and scholarships department at Dunman High School.
At 40, he realised he lacked real-world experience outside education and 'felt it was time to move to the private sector to learn new skills'.
He received an offer to join SL Aesthetic Group, a Singapore-based medical aesthetics and wellness group, as a trainer and business development manager in 2018.
The following year, he took his boss, Dr Gabriel Wong, 39, to his parents' stall, which consistently drew long lunchtime queues at a Bishan coffee shop. Dr Wong praised the food and encouraged Mr Tan to learn the recipes, offering to be his business partner if Mr Tan pursued the idea.
In September 2020, Mr Tan's parents sold the stall, including the business name, and retired. Soon after, former customers began calling – the food 'tasted different'.
Mr Tan Tiam Bock asked if he wanted to restart the business together. He said yes immediately.
By October 2021, they were back and under a new name, Serangoon BBQ & Curry, in Sin Ming Road. Father and son co-owned the stall with $10,000 in shared capital. They reduced the menu and focused on consistency.
Mr Eugene Tan, who left SL Aesthetic Group in December 2020, operated using spreadsheets and systems.
He wanted to refine and scale the business, but met resistance. He clashed with his parents over reducing food costs from 50 to 40 per cent and raising prices to reflect rising ingredient costs.
They also disagreed over food preparation, from grilling chicken to frying eggs. His parents each had his or her own style of cooking.
'When it was my turn to cook, I used a combination of their methods, but they would scold me for not strictly following their individual styles,' he says.
His father had learnt to cook in a Sembawang kampung, helping neighbours prepare dishes like beef rendang, sayur lodeh and sambal goreng for Malay weddings.
'My father cooked by feel and experience, but I had to put recipes and quantities down on paper,' says Mr Tan. 'I had to weigh ingredients – it was a painful process. He would insist I use my eyes instead.'
Despite the tiffs, learning to cook from his father strengthened their bond.
Mr Tan learnt the intricacies of his father's signature dish – sambal goreng – made with long beans, tau kwa and tempeh, each deep-fried separately for the right texture. His father insisted on making sambal fresh daily.
'Though his methods are tedious and not always explained scientifically, I gained culinary skills and deeper respect for his craft. I also learnt patience,' says Mr Tan, who is a bachelor.
Mr Eugene Tan has life-size standees of his parents at his Bishan outlet.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
In August 2023, he persuaded his father to invest in a combi oven which cost about $20,000, as it would enable them to cook 100 pieces of BBQ chicken at a time in 18 minutes, with juicier and more consistent results.
'The oven also ended our quarrels about how to grill chicken,' he adds with a laugh.
In November 2024, he and Dr Wong opened a fast-casual outlet with the same name at shopping mall Junction 8 with $250,000 in capital. The 490 sq ft outlet seats 20.
He ditched the traditional display of trays of food. Instead, orders are made through self-service kiosks and the food is freshly prepared.
Customers choose from five mains – including BBQ chicken and beef rendang – and 11 side dishes like sambal goreng and blossom achar. Bowls start at $10.90 for BBQ chicken with curry vegetable, quail eggs balado, sambal belacan and rice.
Another popular option is the beef rendang bowl with sambal goreng, blossom achar and rice at $13.90.
(From left) Beef rendang, sambal goreng, blossom achar, sambal belacan and rice; and BBQ chicken, curry vegetable, quail eggs balado, sambal belacan and rice, at Serangoon BBQ & Curry.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
Drinks include Calamansi & Sour Plum Slushy and Momo Peach Slushy ($3.90 each).
(From left) Calamansi & Sour Plum Slushy and Momo Peach Slushy at Serangoon BBQ & Curry.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
In January, Mr Tan and his father closed the Sin Ming outlet, shifting operations to a central kitchen in Bedok to prepare food for the Junction 8 location and to support future outlets. (His father is no longer a shareholder in the new outlets because he is preparing to retire eventually.)
The Junction 8 outlet was halal-certified in March .
'We've always been a pork-free establishment,' says Mr Tan. 'It wasn't difficult to get halal certified since we've used halal ingredients from the beginning in 1983.'
In March, he opened a second outlet at Raffles Specialist Centre. The 800 sq ft space, which can seat 40, cost $150,000 to set up.
Both outlets are seeing brisk business and are on track to break even within a year, with a projected revenue of $1 million in total by year-end.
Still, there have been missteps. Mr Tan once lost his temper with a customer who complained that the nasi padang did not match the menu photos. 'I told her to please never come back,' he says. 'But I regretted it. We depend on customers.'
He has since learnt to manage negative feedback more calmly.
Running his business has enabled Mr Tan to hone his patience.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
Today, he works 12-hour days with no days off, juggling operations across outlets, filling in for staff and managing social media with Dr Wong. His parents oversee food preparation at the central kitchen.
'Working in front lets me gather feedback and introduce our brand story,' he says.
He also draws from his teaching background to manage staff. 'Back then, I was responsible for students' well-being. Now, I focus on staff development and engagement.'
He and Dr Wong plan to open another outlet by the end of 2025 , likely in the heartland. Their long-term plan: Eight outlets in Singapore and overseas expansion.
Some purists say he is not doing justice to his father's food by modernising it. But Mr Tan stays focused.
'We choose dishes based on popularity and practicality – can we replicate the quality if we scale up?'
That mission – to honour his parents' decades of dedication – keeps him going. He even has life-sized standees of his parents displayed at his Bishan outlet.
'Some customers recognise the chicken and my father's cooking even if they don't see him,' he says. 'They realise it's the same dish, just under a different name.'
He recalls a couple who had eaten at his father's stall since their school days. Now married, they visited the Junction 8 outlet and told him the food tasted just like they remembered. 'That makes it worth it.'
When asked what keeps him going, he does not hesitate. 'I owe it to my parents.'
Tastemakers is a personality profile series on food and beverage vendors who are creating a stir.
Hedy Khoo is senior correspondent at The Straits Times. She covers food-related news, from reviews to human interest stories.
Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Straits Times

2 days ago

• Straits Times

Shiseido taps AI, online channels and slow ageing trend to stay relevant

SHISEIDO Asia Pacific president and CEO Nicole Tan said brick-and-mortar outlets remain a key part of the brand's strategy and appeal. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN SINGAPORE - The beauty industry has changed significantly over the last decade, and beauty companies have had to adjust accordingly to stay relevant. Among them is Japanese beauty brand Shiseido, which is tapping technology to better meet evolving consumer demands. One key move has been the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into its customer experience. Shiseido offers a visualiser device that captures detailed facial images to assess skin condition as well as blood circulation beneath the skin's surface. 'The visualiser takes a photo of your face and is able to capture not just the condition of your skin but also the circulation in your skin,' said Ms Nicole Tan, president and chief executive officer of Shiseido Asia Pacific. Combined with a short customer questionnaire, this technology enables a personalised skincare experience for customers, as opposed to generic product recommendations. Shiseido has also expanded beyond operating solely in physical stores to also having a strong online presence, with its products now available on e-commerce platforms like Shopee and Lazada. 'Online platforms have become a viable and indispensable avenue to shop and are complementary to the brick and mortar business model,' said Ms Tan. She added that brick-and-mortar outlets remain a key part of the brand's strategy and appeal. 'Although consumers like to cart out their items online, they still like having a physical store where they can try out the items, which is why we incorporated both brick-and-mortar shops and online platforms into our business model,' said Ms Tan. 'It cannot be one or the other; selling both online and physically have to go hand-in-hand.' Shiseido's growth strategy includes listening to and being aware of changing consumer needs with market trends, said Ms Tan. One of the biggest trends observed in recent years is the rise in demand for slow-ageing beauty products, or products that slow the process of ageing. Slow-aging is a movement focuses on prevention and long-term skin health rather than simply treating visible signs of ageing. In line with this trend, Shiseido launched its new Ultimune serum in March, targeting skin resilience and the root causes of ageing. The new addition to Shiseido's Ultimune series will add to its current product portfolio, which includes brands from Japan, the United States and Europe, including Shiseido, Anessa and Issey Miyake. Another part of Shiseido's growth strategy is also catering to customers who are now more aware and concerned about the ingredients in their skincare and beauty products, said Ms Tan. 'During and after the Covid-19 pandemic, we know that many consumers are having an increasing level of awareness and concern about ingredients that go into their products,' she said. For customers who want more ingredient transparency and control over the type of skincare they use, Shiseido's portfolio now also includes US brand Drunk Elephant, which offers its users skincare 'cocktails', which are combinations of serums and moisturisers tailored to individual needs. Shiseido's growth strategy includes listening to and being aware of changing consumer needs with market trends, said Ms Tan. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN Shiseido is also focusing on expanding into new markets. In 2023, for example, it launched US cosmetics brand Nars in India. 'This is part of our growth strategy – increasingly looking at our portfolio of brands and bringing to our markets the brands that are relevant and resonate with the market,' said Ms Tan. While the market has been very challenging, the good thing is that Shiseido has been consistently gaining market share, said Ms Tan. 'We'd like to continue in that aspect to do well and do well in each of our markets by being intentionally relevant. I think what's important is continuing to build the talent that we have,' she said. Shiseido is also diverse in terms of female leadership – with 67 per cent of women in director-level positions and above, said Ms Tan, who is the first female CEO for Shiseido. 'It'll be a key priority that we continue to focus on, ensuring that we have a positive work environment that's inclusive and a home for talent, so that talent chooses to come (to our company),' she added. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Online Citizen​

3 days ago

• Online Citizen​

Flor Patisserie bids goodbye as more local F&B outlets announce closures

In a heartfelt Facebook post, Japanese-style cake shop Flor Patisserie announced it would be closing its Siglap Drive outlet, bringing a 15-year journey to an emotional end. The shop, cherished for its artisanal offerings and community feel, will serve its last slice on 11 July. The reason behind the closure, revealed last month, was a drastic rent hike imposed by the landlord—S$5,400 monthly rent increased by 57 per cent to S$8,500 upon lease renewal. In a farewell message posted on 17 June, Flor Patisserie's founder Heidi Tan reflected on the business's journey: 'If every year were a chapter, this story would end with 15 chapters. It is time to say goodbye—for good. FLOR Patisserie was never just about cakes. It was about connection, creativity, and community.' Tan described the challenges of running a small business in Singapore, highlighting that courage is required not just to build something—but to let it go. 'As I close this chapter, I do so with a heart full of gratitude… The love and support you've shown has meant more than words can express.' The big players simply do not care: Flor Patisserie refutes Ervin Yeo, questions rent model's sustainability The patisserie has also been vocal about what it sees as an increasingly unsustainable rental ecosystem in Singapore. In a 9 June Facebook post, it questioned the mindset of commercial landlords. 'To them, your craft, your perseverance in offering something fresh—something not churned out days in advance from a central kitchen—is nothing more than a datapoint on their rental yield curve. ' 'And if that number doesn't align with their projections, it's goodbye to you and hello to the next trendy concept,' the shop added. Tan lamented that rent, though just one of many operational pressures, often becomes the most crushing—especially when driven by what she called 'short-term profit chasing'. She added that landlords' expectations fail to account for the 'social cost of exchanging the hopes and dreams of young Singaporeans for greater profits'. Her remarks came in direct response to Ervin Yeo, Chief Strategy Officer of CapitaLand Group, who had defended existing market dynamics in a lengthy LinkedIn post. Yeo cautioned that rent controls could destabilise the F&B sector, comparing them to hawker centre models where low rents can lead to erratic operations and weakened customer trust. He argued that vacancy taxes would have limited impact, as landlords are already incentivised to lease due to mortgage obligations. Yeo further warned against protectionist policies that might disproportionately affect Chinese brands—praised for their operational efficiency—while Western entrants face less scrutiny. As a more balanced alternative to rent control, he suggested offering temporary Development Charge (DC) relief, Yeo argued. Calls grow for rental reform as SMEs struggle with rising costs Amid this broader discontent, advocacy group Singapore Tenants United For Fairness (SGTUFF) weighed in on 12 June. In a statement, the group urged for urgent structural reforms in rental agreements to help SMEs stay afloat. SGTUFF proposed a two-pronged approach: short-term relief measures and long-term policy recalibration. Among their suggestions were rental caps tied to inflation and a national rethink of urban planning and commercial land use priorities. A wave of closures shakes the F&B sector Flor Patisserie's impending closure is not an isolated case. In fact, it coincided with announcements from other long-running F&B players. On the same day—17 June—Burp Kitchen & Bar shared its decision to shut down its outlet at Bishan Park on 27 July. After 11 years of service, the owners said the 'current F&B scene has proven too challenging' despite their best efforts. 'What began as a 100-seater restaurant in a quiet corner of Bishan Park grew into a place that had welcomed thousands of guests,' their post said. The statement acknowledged the emotional impact on patrons, noting that the restaurant had become a familiar, comforting presence in the community. 'We all mourn the loss of our favourite restaurants… When they're gone, much of the soul of the neighbourhoods in which they resided will be gone as well.' This marks Burp Kitchen's second closure within a year—the Bedok Reservoir outlet was shut in July 2024 after nine years. Local media have also reported other notable closures. Four Leaves, a long-standing homegrown bakery chain, shuttered its Paya Lebar Square outlet on 20 May. A HardwareZone forum user noted that the space is slated to be taken over by Mr Noodles (粉面先生), a local noodle brand. Meanwhile, Tiong Bahru Bakery is set to close its Funan outlet on 22 June, after five years in operation. The company shared a video earlier in March hinting at the closure, and separately announced that its Eng Hoon Street flagship would pause operations in August for renovations. 'Our very first and most beloved home on Eng Hoon Street will be closing this August for a short pause… When we return, everything you've come to love [will be] refreshed and reimagined.' Tiong Bahru Bakery continues to operate nearly 20 outlets islandwide. Closure of over 3,000 F&B establishments in 2024 Although the Urban Redevelopment Authority reported a 0.5 per cent dip in retail rents in the first quarter of 2025, the ground reality paints a grimmer picture. An average of 450 retail outlets shuttered every month during this period. A Reuters report from April noted that closures averaged 307 per month from January to April 2025, up from 254 in 2024 and about 230 per month in both 2023 and 2022. Last year alone saw the closure of over 3,000 F&B establishments – the highest number since 2005.

Straits Times

4 days ago

• Straits Times

DBS aims to double Australian lending book in 5 years

DBS had signed a pact with trade agency Austrade which will help it finance more trade and investment between Australian and Southeast Asian businesses. PHOTO: REUTERS SYDNEY - DBS Group aims to double its Australian lending book in the next five years, its CEO Tan Su Shan said, as the Singapore-headquartered bank seeks to take advantage of trade links between Australia and Southeast Asia. The bank said on Wednesday it had signed a pact with trade agency Austrade which will help it facilitate and finance more trade and investment between Australian and Southeast Asian businesses, especially from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. Tan said that DBS's Australian lending book was currently worth about A$11 billion (S$9.2 billion) which, she said, could double to A$20 billion in the next five years. 'Australian companies have been more domestic-centric. We are trying to change that narrative,' Tan said at a press conference on Tuesday. Referring to its Australian client AirTrunk, a data centre operator that was bought by a Blackstone-led consortium for A$24 billion last year, Tan said the company was one of the first few to invest in data centers outside of Australia. 'We'd love to rinse and repeat that with the other big Australian companies,' she said. DBS posted in May better-than-expected quarterly results, boosted by wealth management fees that jumped 35 per cent on-year to a record quarterly high of S$724 million, which the bank attributed to strong market sentiment. Assets under management at the bank, Southeast Asia's biggest, climbed 13 per cent to a record high of S$432 billion in the first quarter. Tan said while the dollar and U.S. Treasury's safe-haven status was not yet being threatened, some of the bank's clients had started to diversify away from dollar-linked investments, which has benefited Japan, among others. 'You've seen also a lot more interest in the euro and the yen. The yen has strengthened as well. So we see people now looking at where do I invest in yen?,' she said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.