journey by chef enoch

• Thai & Asian
• Western & Pub
• Street Food & Random Finds
• What’s News
• Meet The Foodies
• Travel Foodies

From Prison to Michelin Kitchen: Singaporean Chef Settles in Bangkok with Modern Asian Concept | Bangkok Foodies

Journey by chef enoch, a new singaporean - inspired, modern asian cuisine restaurant to open in ekkamai , bangkok.

          There’s is something that Bangkok has never really found a successful niche for and that is for Singaporean cuisine. Apart from the odd self proclaimed “Singaporean” Hainanese Chicken or noodle and dumpling shop pandering to Expats or Thais looking to reminisce of their foodie travels in the ‘Garden City’, there’s little that instantly stands out or comes to mind when naming any exceptional Singaporean-influenced restaurants. 

          Eddie Yii of ‘ Stranger in Bangkok ’, a popular Bangkok based blogger, who is Malaysian but grew up in Singapore, says of this lack of availability, “I think no one has really made it cool yet, for the locals, most Singapore food places are still mainly servicing the Singapore/Malaysia Expat crowd”. When Bangkok Foodies asked Eddie where he thought served close-to-legit Singaporean cuisine in Bangkok, he answered,  “ Chuan Kitchen , but they are near IMPACT , which is not in Bangkok’s city center. The curry puff from powerpuff.bkk for example is outstanding and the closest you get to commercial Singaporean food would probably be Boon Tong Kee chicken rice and Song Fa Bak Kut Teh , but they are already considered big-ish chains in SG” 

          But things are looking to switch up since Chef Enoch Teo has quietly crept onto the scene with a new restaurant concept, Journey by Chef Enoch . Enoch, is a native Singaporean who moved to Bangkok to open his dine-in concept in Ekkamai , which is now paused due to COVID-19.

          However, the restaurant is currently offering Enoch’s Singaporean-inspired cuisine by delivery instead.  “I am actually quite fortunate that during COVID-19, the restaurant in Bangkok was not open yet. It definitely slowed down the process and affected my livelihood and forced me and my partners into making unprecedented decisions such as only launching a delivery menu during the restaurant opening.“

          No stranger to adversity, Chef Enoch’s teenage years was heavily steeped in drugs and crime, Enoch sought solace in a rebelliousness triggered by his ADHD condition, he recalls, “I was diagnosed with ADHD (a learning disability) at the age of 10 years old, I struggled in school, didn’t do well in academics and also struggled expressing myself to people around me. I started to become very rebellious in school, fighting, stealing and going against my teachers and parents. Eventually I dropped out of school at the age of 14.” 

          From 15 years of age, Enoch’s criminal career started, joining a local gang where he felt acceptance and belonging. What started off as fun and camaraderie, turned to drugs and serious crime. Inevitably, Enoch eventually found himself in prison and that’s when his life changed forever.

          Enoch said of his harrowing experience, “When I was sentenced to 6 months in jail and another 6 months in a halfway house for breaking into a car and testing positive for illegal drugs, I realised that the only people who would visit me were my family. I met many people in jail and halfway houses who had been in and out of jail repeatedly for 30 to 40 years, their family had given up on them, most of them had lost their purpose in life. I realised I really didn’t want to end up like that. Prior to jail, I had already worked as a cook in a Chinese and Japanese restaurant, so I made a decision to focus on a culinary career after I was released.” 

          After Enoch’s incarceration, he took all the energy he had spent into recklessness and self-sabotage and channeled it into a full blossoming Chef career. Enoch brightens, “The first Michelin starred restaurant I worked for was Restaurant Andre for 6 months as an apprentice. The last restaurant I worked for before I started my own business was at Les Amis Restaurant for 18 months. It was an unforgettable experience and I feel it was my “bootcamp” as a chef, without it, I don’t think I would be the chef I am today.”

          Today Chef Enoch finds himself in a challenging time and position, launching a restaurant business in a foreign country which has not yet warmed to his type of cuisine, but with everything he approaches, he goes into his this new venture with full conviction and wholeheartedness, “I liked the food culture, people and saw a huge opportunity in the F&B business here. One big draw factor for me was the availability of fresh local ingredients. In Singapore, we do not have a big agriculture industry and most of our ingredients and products are imported.”

            View this post on Instagram                         A post shared by Bangkok foodies (@bangkokfoodies) on Jul 8, 2020 at 11:15pm PDT

          Moreover, Chef Enoch did not get to this point to produce mainstream Singaporean cuisine or fall into the Chicken and Rice or homestyle Rendang beef in a box, he explains, “The concept of Journey by Chef Enoch is inspired by my roots and experience growing up in Singapore. Here, I take traditional Asian dishes from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, China and other Asian countries that I have visited, adding some twists and reinventing them”, but what will be so special about Journey by Chef Enoch when Bangkokians can access vibrant Thai food and casual Singaporean dishes? 

          Chef Enoch responds, “My cuisine is modern, however still keeping and respecting the fundamentals of the traditional dish. I do them by introducing modern techniques to the execution of cooking with European techniques like sous vide and confit. I also bring out the optimum flavours, textures and colours to dish without artificial flavourings or colouring, I do this by precise slow cooking over extensive periods. 

          Chef Enoch informs Bangkok Foodies that their takeaway and delivery sales have already exceeded their expectations, with the Pork Jowl Charsiu, Crispy Sio Bak, Beef Rendang and the Duck Confit with Red Curry already crowd favourites. We can attest at the Bangkok Foodies office, our most highly favoured dishes were the succulent but full-of-bite Moo krob and the deeply layered flavour of the Beef Rendang.

          Enoch relays in detail the cooking process, “For the Moo Krob, most people do crispy pork, or “moo krob” by just roasting it at high temperatures or deep frying it in fat but the meat is usually drier. For this, I also slow cook it sous vide for 48 hours before cooking it on high heat to crisp up the skin with no added fat, only using the natural fat of the pork. For this dish, I have adopted a reverse cooking method in which I cook it through to my desired tenderness before carefully applying high heat to reach the end product. It is a longer and more tedious product but I believe it is worth it.” The menu will also feature dishes reflecting a Thai-inspired flair with two of Chef Enoch’s favourite Thai meals, the “Kheng Phet Ped Yang” and “Kalampi Tord Nampla”, but of course, with Enoch’s personal touch. 

          Not only has Enoch moved on successfully with his own life but has developed and run a social enterprise as a form of “giving back” to his family, ex bosses and society. This initiative offers a chance to those who may be struggling with their own personal demons or physical or psychological issues. 

          Enoch said, “I set up a social enterprise E & I Food Concepts Pte Ltd in Singapore to provide training and employment for youth offenders, youth from underprivileged backgrounds and people with disability. Like myself, they still deserve a shot at living a meaningful and purposeful life as long as they are willing to put in their effort to learn, change and overcome their obstacles. To date, E & I Food Concepts has successfully trained and helped reform over 40 beneficiaries in 4 years and was nominated as the President’s Challenge Social Enterprise of the Year 2017.” 

          The next step in Enoch’s journey here in Bangkok will be to finally serve customers at his new restaurant, slated to open in mid or late July 2020 and with everything he has done and experienced to get food on the plate, we do hope Chef Enoch and his team the very best.  

How can you order Journey by Chef Enoch? Through LINE Official account @journeyth or FoodPanda.

_____________________________________

Want to get noticed?! Get in touch with the Foodies Marketing Specialist. Promote or Advertise with us: [email protected] Join our community: BangkokFoodies OFFICIAL Follow our Fan Pages: @BangkokFoodies (IG) / Bangkok Foodies (FB) We’ve gone regional! Check out our new Parent Site: www.FoodiesOFFICIALAsia.com Follow our Parent fan pages: @FoodiesOFFICALAsia (IG) / Foodies OFFICIAL Asia (FB) 

#eatlife 

Journey by Chef Enoch 3 Sukhumvit Rd Watthana, Bangkok 10110 Thailand

Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

BangkokFoodies.com provides local and International foodies with entertaining Restaurant Reviews, food blogs-vlogs, Interviews with Chefs, Foodies, things to do, places to stay, foodies events and even a Foodies Directory at your fingertips, to take the guess work out of dining.

Stay Informed

© Bangkok Foodies Copyright 2020, All Rights Reserved

Vendor Information

Ingredients, ประวัติร้าน : ทำไมถึงชอบทำอาหาร.

Journey by Chef Enoch เป็นร้านอาหารเอเชียที่ทันสมัยซึ่งได้แรงบันดาลใจมาจากบ้านเกิดของเชฟEnochในเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ที่เติบโตขึ้นมาในสิงคโปร์ผสมผสานกับเทคนิคที่ทันสมัยซึ่งเขาได้สร้างชื่อเสียงให้กับร้านอาหารมิชลินฝรั่งเศส

มีอะไรอยากบอกคนทานอาหารร้าน Journey หรือเปล่า

เชฟEnochจะพาคุณเดินทางไปทั่วเอเชียด้วยรสชาติดั้งเดิมที่จะทำให้คุณรู้สึกราวกับว่าคุณกำลังบินไปยังจุดหมายปลายทางในเอเชีย

Journey Menu Popular Dishes

Stir fried cabbage with Chicken

Sliced Cabbage ,  Egg ,  Cauliflower ,  carrot pickled ,  Minced Chicken ,  Rice ,  Seasoning Sauce

Net Weight 391 g

• Entertainment

Give them a second chance: F&B establishments owned by ex-convicts who turned their lives around

The stigma that comes with a criminal record has lasting effects. Unfortunately, people still shun these so-called black sheep of society.

Despite that, a number of ex-convicts have decided to bravely press on to make something for themselves after doing time — and some of them have delved into the F&B scene to do so.

If you want to support and give them a second chance, you can consider patronising these eateries that have been opened by ex-offenders the next time you dine out.

Prior to opening Chef Chik, founder Chik Ka Chung was an executive chef at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza's Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant.

That was also where he committed the crime that landed him in jail for four months — pocketing money from a seafood supplier in return for continuing orders.

After his release, Ka Chung decided to open Chef Chik, a hawker stall that specialises in a myriad of Cantonese dishes at Haig Road Market & Food Centre.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CEbPlfmHL_0/[/embed]

While the switch from a luxurious hotel kitchen to a humble hawker set up must have taken some time to adjust, Ka Chung seems to be happy with the outcome, considering that the stall is still around after opening in 2012.

Address: #01-36, Haig Road Hawker Centre, 14 Haig Road, Singapore 430014

Journey by Chef Enoch (Bangkok)

Who would have thought that a former secondary school dropout and drug addict would eventually move on to open a restaurant in Bangkok?

That was exactly what Enoch Teo did. After a year behind bars for breaking into a car, the young man decided to turn over a new leaf and pursue his passion for cooking by working at a tzi char restaurant.

Despite being rejected by two culinary schools, he managed to snag a job at French restaurant Absinthe. There, he worked under chef Francois Mermiliod, who wrote him a recommendation which finally got him into a culinary school.

Eventually, Enoch managed to open the now defunct French establishment, Garcons, with his friend, Immanuel Tee.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CCYvdANpTap/[/embed]

Some may have wondered where Enoch is after shuttering Garcons. A Bangkok Foodies article reveals that the ambitious chef has decided to start a restaurant in Ekkamai, Bangkok called Journey by Chef Enoch. There, he will be selling Singapore-inspired cuisine so that the locals can have a taste of what our little red dot has to offer.

Address: 2 Sukhumvit Road, Phrakanong-Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand

Kim Keat Hokkien Mee

Some of you have tried the famous clay pot Hokkien mee from Kim Keat Hokkien Mee at Lor 4 Toa Payoh. But did you know that stall founder Kelvin Lee, was previously a pimp and drug dealer?

Kelvin spent a good bulk of his life in and out of prison — around 20 years in jail. Since he was a teenager, he committed crimes such as extortion, illegal hawking, pimping and drug dealing.

After promising his family that he would change for the better, he eventually managed to open up a stall in a Toa Payoh coffee shop selling Hokkien mee. Soon, his stall was on the public's radar after being reviewed by popular food bloggers such as Leslie Tay - the one who gave him the idea of serving his noodles in a clay pot with roast pork.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CK8U73VM6Mv/[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CK8U73VM6Mv/[/embed]

Kelvin also took the opportunity to help others like him and hired ex-offenders to help him at the stall.

Sadly, Kelvin passed away in 2016. However, the reins of the stall have been taken over by his son who has decided to continue his father's business.

Address: Block 92 Toa Payoh Lorong 4, #01-264, Singapore 310092

Reimondo Seafood Congee

An ex-convict-turned-chef who recently made the news is Raymond Tan. In an interview with 8days.sg , the 33-year-old talked about how he used to live a life of crime before eventually setting up a car rental and repair company as well as his new eatery, Reimondo Seafood Congee.

When he was younger, Raymond had been a troubled youth who was spent most of his time in prison and boys' homes — from crimes like shoplifting and housebreaking.

In a bid to stay out of jail for good, he started his car rental and repair company. Business was so good that he became a millionaire in two years but after that, he gambled all his hard-earned money away, which led to him having a turbulent relationship with his wife.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CL5leuHn-Pt/[/embed]

However, after hearing that she was pregnant with his second child, he decided to stop spiralling and opened up a hawker stall at MacPherson which specialised in crabmeat wanton mee.

Unfortunately, business was as not good and he had to shutter the stall in 2017, but in 2020 during the pandemic, he decided to try giving the hawker life another shot and opened Reimondo Seafood Congee in Pasir Ris. He eventually hopes to hire ex-convicts like himself to give them a second chance.

Address: 110 Pasir Ris Central, #02-07, Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre, Singapore 519641

Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh

Easties may have come across Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh, a popular restaurant in Simpang Bedok that specialises in herbal bak kut teh — similar to those that you can get in Malaysia.

The establishment is helmed by Jabez Tan, who spent 12 years in jail for drug and theft-related offences. However, being in jail did not deter Jabez from using his time wisely and he determinedly worked his way up from being a kitchen dishwasher to the main prison chef.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CGwD09YnZtp/[/embed]

After serving his time, he created a unique bak kut teh recipe and set up shop in Simpang Bedok. He also wanted to give ex-offenders like himself a chance, so the bulk of his staff are mostly ex-criminals who are seeking a new lease of life.

Address: 302 Bedok Road, Singapore 469460

The Caffeine Experience

Changing lives one cuppa at a time is ex-offender Matthew Poh, who banded together with ex-prison officer, Hilary Lo, to open The Caffeine Experience. The aim of this social enterprise cafe is to provide a second chance to ex-convicts just like Matthew, and they've been in the F&B scene since 2018.

While in prison, Matthew had feared not being able to land a job after he was done doing his time. As an ex-business owner, he planned on starting something once he was out and shared this dream with Hilary while he was still in prison.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CGR2OqtnAMc/[/embed]

In an interview with Frasers Property , Matthew said that convincing potential investors was a struggle and it was extremely difficult for him to gain the trust needed to raise funds for the project. However, he didn't blame them for feeling this way.

When he finally managed to set up The Caffeine Experience, Matthew reached out to various agencies to link him up with individuals who needed a second chance at life. He also makes it a point to let his staff run the cafe themselves "so that they feel like they are capable members of society."

Address: 10 Hospital Boulevard #01-04 SingHealth Tower, OCH 168582

Wow Wow West

Wow Wow West's story is a tad bit different from the others on this list as founder, Eric Huang, is not an ex-convict. Instead, he has made it his life's mission to take in ex-offenders and give them a second chance in life thanks to a deal he made with God a few years ago.

When his oldest daughter, Elizabeth — who is now the second generation owner of Wow Wow West — ran away from home, Eric had turned to Christianity and promised to dedicate his life to serving God as counsellor with a halfway house if his daughter returned home.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CD6DLZtszjT/[/embed]

She did come home in the end. Keeping to his word, Eric took in ex-offenders sent by halfway houses and made them full-time employees. Apart from teaching them how to cook, he also counsels them for encouragement and motivation.

Address: ABC Brickworks Food Centre, 6 Jalan Bukit Merah, #01-133, Singapore 150006

Eighteen Chefs

We'll be ending off with one of the more famous convict-turned-chefs around — Benny Teo Se, owner of Eighteen Chefs.

Apart from being known for his pretty humorous Facebook posts , the chef has been vocal about his concerns for ex-offenders and individuals who struggle with addiction.

Actions speak louder than words and to do his part, Benny employs ex-offenders at his restaurant, Eighteen Chefs.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/BIjRDf2BD8K/[/embed]

Benny, of all people, would understand the struggle as he himself has spent many years in and out of prison. A near-death experience was what pushed him to start his recovery journey and after spending six years in a halfway house, he finally opened his own restaurant.

It wasn't easy managing a bunch of ex-offenders and at the start, Benny struggled as fights constantly broke out. However, over time, he has learnt how to train his staff and now, Eighteen Chefs has grown to become a household name.

Address: 200 Victoria St, #04-06 Bugis Junction, Singapore 188021

[email protected]

Enoch Light - Sentimental Journey Lyrics

• Music Video

• Subscription

Cooking Saved Him From A Life Of Crime, So He Started Up To Help Troubled Youth Do The Same

In this article

Do you believe in second chances?

Perhaps not everyone does, but for Enoch Teo (27), a Singaporean chef and co-founder of the Garcons casual French cuisine chain, a second chance was what saved him from a life of delinquency.

From a life fuelled with drugs and other vices, Enoch found his calling – and saving grace – in cooking, and it all started at a humble tze char stall.

From ‘Insecure And Aimless’ Teen To F&B Entrepreneur 

A self-professed “insecure and aimless” teenager, Enoch dropped out of school right after his Secondary 2 exams.

“I hung around with bad company, got myself involved with a street gang, and eventually got into drugs, stealing, and other vices.”

Then 16-years-old, he started thinking that this was the life he was going to lead.

But this all changed after a car-breaking incident.

“[The incident] got me arrested, and I was sentenced to a one year programme at the drug rehabilitation centre, [where I] met many older drug offenders who had been convicted multiple times.”

“Many spent more than 15 years behind bars and have lost almost everything – their youth, ability to work, family members, and friends.”

It really shook me and made me start to think and take my life more seriously.

After release, he still went back to his old friends and vices occasionally, but eventually got out of it “with the constant support from family and a few key mentors”.

“It wasn’t easy,” he admits.

Most significantly, it was his passion for cooking that steered him back to the right track.

And it all stemmed from his mother’s tough love – cutting off his allowance when he was 15, and challenging him to get a job to support himself.

“The job [at a tze char store] occupied 12 – 14 hours of my day, and back then, we only got 2 off days in a month. This kept me out of a lot of trouble as I couldn’t hang out with my friends as much.”

Cooking also gave him a sense of pride – especially because he could work alongside older, more experienced colleagues, and do the same tasks as they did.

For a boy that didn’t do well in school, working in the kitchen made me feel confident of myself.

Rejected By 2 Culinary Schools 

The aspiring chef wanted to learn more, and applied for 2 culinary schools a few months before he finished his National Service.

However, he was rejected by both.

“I felt very discouraged, and questioned the equality of the system as I personally knew many friends who were not as serious about the culinary arts but got into school because they met the minimum requirements.”

But that setback wasn’t going to bring him down, and he continued to build his career, sans culinary school.

“[Eventually] I went on to land a job in Absinthe working under chef Francois Mermiliod who eventually wrote me a recommendation to culinary school.”

His culinary experience then took him to the two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Andre in the year 2010, where he had his internship.

This was also where he serendipitously met Immanuel Tee (31), who eventually became the co-founder of Garcons.

Albeit parting ways eventually, with Enoch also starting his first business, Le Petit Paradis , they got back in contact when Immanuel too started his own business, Immanuel French Kitchen .

“We talked about our individual businesses very often and realised we both had different strengths that could complement each other. That was when we decided to partner up to start Garcons.”

At the end of 2017, Immanuel left the company on a mutual agreement, but the duo still remain good friends to date.

$1.2M In Gross Revenue In The First Year Of Opening

With an investment of $40,000, Enoch and Immanuel opened the first Garcons outlet at Essen@The Pinnacle in August 2015.

Enoch reveals that “business was very good since the start”, and to keep up with the crowds, the team had to work 16-hour shifts, 7 days a week, for the first 2 months.

In just the first year, they also expanded to 3 outlets, and earned a very impressive $1.2 million in gross revenue and about $150,000 in net revenue.

We have been consistently maintaining our revenue and net profit margin of 7-10%.

“It’s not easy to take it much higher as we don’t charge high prices, but yet have to bear the same costs like any other establishments.”

French cuisine isn’t known to be the cheapest out there, given the ingredients (many premium) used, so how does Garcons keep the prices affordable?

Explains Enoch, “The reason why we are able to do lower prices is due to our ‘quick serve’ business model where we rent smaller stalls or kiosk-like units, pay lower rental, and keep a leaner manpower structure.”

“Therefore, customers who dine at Garcons can expect bistro-worthy dishes at 30-40% [below the normal price].”

Currently, there are 4 Garcons outlets islandwide, and they’ve also ventured into providing catering for events.

But his culinary journey all wasn’t that smooth-sailing, Enoch shares.

“I’ve faced many challenges. Cashflow problems, labour issues, and failed ventures are the main problems.”

It isn’t a fairy tale as some may think of it to be – I have had expansions that were not successful too.

“But I always believe that business is a journey of learning, and sometimes failure comes with a price. We always have to pick ourselves up and move on.”

“Not All People Who Have Made Mistakes Are Bad People”

Meaning ‘boys’ in French, Garcons was set up not just an F&B business promising affordable French fare – it also has a strong social mission.

“Our mission is to impact youth-at-risk and ex-offenders by providing them not just employment, but training in French cuisine as well. [This is] so that they can pursue careers in F&B – either at Garcons or [anywhere else].”

Does that also mean that female youth-at-risk can’t join the Garcons kitchen?

Not at all.

“Our beneficiaries are not selected by gender, but most of them are usually boys.”

When asked about memorable ex-staff, Enoch recalls that one is now the head chef of a restaurant in a hotel, and another successfully expanded his family’s mee hoon kuey business.

“Both of them joined us back then with very little prior culinary experience. I am extremely proud of both of them.”

Not all people who have made mistakes are bad people. A lot of times, they were just in bad situations which caused them to make bad decisions.

“Also, these youths or ex-offenders are a group of people to watch, as many of them actually work doubly hard to redeem themselves for the past mistakes they have made.”

“If they focus and put their heart and mind to it, one day they will be successful and honourable people in the society as well.”

Everybody deserves a second chance, and I think it should be a joint effort of everyone in the community to help them instead of rejecting them. After all, it is always better to have one less criminal on the street.

One can’t help but compare him to well-known restauranteur Chef Benny Se Teo of Eighteen Chefs , a chain that also has the mission to help troubled youth and ex-offenders via F&B.

“To be honest, I only heard of Benny Se Teo and Eighteen Chefs after I started my social enterprise,” admitted Enoch.

“I actually never really knew what a social enterprise was until I ran one. I have great respect for him and what he has done, though!”

“Chase Your Passion”

As an ending note, I asked Enoch about the advice he would give youth who might currently be as “aimless” as he was back then.

I would like to advice youth to explore as much as they can when they are 15 – 23.

“Even when in school, do as many part-time jobs in your free time [as you can]. It may not be something that you pursue as a career but there are definitely a lot of things that you can learn from the experience that could be applied.”

“Also, chase your passion. Work will never feel like work if you love what you do!”

Timbre+ 73A Ayer Rajah Crescent, Singapore 139957

Essen@The Pinnacle 1 Cantonment Rd, #01-01, Singapore 080001

Tanjong Katong 340 Tanjong Katong Road, Singapore 437111

Savourworld 2 Science Park Drive #01-27A, Ascent Science Park Drive I, Singapore 118222

Also Read Only 26, This Hawkerpreneur Has Foodies And Michelin Inspectors Hooked On His $6 Fishball Noodles

Subscribe to our newsletter

Stay updated with Vulcan Post weekly curated news and updates.

MORE FROM VULCAN POST

Pinned Post

• 24 Jun 2024

Tesla debuts in Penang with a Cybertruck showcase, to open a service centre there soon

An injury forced this M’sian to quit engineering, but she found new success in halal vegan food

Entrepreneur

Penang’s got a new attraction—a collection of 300 vintage bags that you can view for RM100

News Reader

• 21 Jun 2024

Singapore Salary Guide 2024: Why Banking & Finance Careers Remain Hot

This veterinarian father-son duo branched out to start a farm-to-table cafe in Batu Caves

Retrenchment didn’t stop this S’porean’s grind, she started a biz churning out unique butters

This 51 Y/O M’sian left finance to go back to school for clinical aromatherapy, now runs a biz

Singaporean

Singapore Q3 job outlook: Three industries are hiring heavily but one is bracing for layoffs

International

Vulcan Post aims to be the knowledge hub of Singapore and Malaysia.

© 2021 GRVTY Media Pte. Ltd. (UEN 201431998C.)

Journeys: Chapter XVII

Chapter xvii..

1. And they took ⌈ and ⌉ brought me to a place in which those who were there were like flaming fire, and, when they wished, they appeared as men. 2. And they brought me to the place of darkness, and to a mountain the point of whose summit reached to heaven. 3. And I saw the places of the luminaries ⌈ and the treasuries of the stars ⌉ and of the thunder ⌈ and ⌉ in the uttermost depths , where were a fiery bow and arrows and their quiver, and ⌈⌈ a fiery sword ⌉⌉ and all the lightnings. 4. And they took me to the living waters, and to the fire of the west, which receives every setting of the sun. 5. And I came to a river of fire in which the fire flows like water and discharges itself into the great sea towards the west. 6. I saw the great rivers and came to the great ⌈ river and to the great ⌉ darkness, and went to the place where no flesh walks. 7. I saw the mountains of the darkness of winter and the place whence all the waters of the deep flow. 8. I saw the mouths of all the rivers of the earth and the mouth of the deep.

CHAPTER XVIII

1. I saw the treasuries of all the winds: I saw how He had furnished with them the whole creation and the firm foundations of the earth. 2. And I saw the corner-stone of the earth: I saw the four winds which bear [ the earth and ] the firmament of the heaven. 3. ⌈⌈ And I saw how the winds stretch out the vaults of heaven ⌉⌉ , and have their station between heaven and earth: ⌈⌈ these are the

pillars of the heaven ⌉⌉ . 4. I saw the winds of heaven which turn and bring the circumference of the sun and all the stars to their setting. 5. I saw the winds on the earth carrying the clouds: I saw ⌈⌈ the paths of the angels. I saw ⌉⌉ at the end of the earth the firmament of the heaven above. And I proceeded and saw a place which burns day and night, where there are seven mountains of magnificent stones, three towards the east, and three towards the south. 7. And as for those towards the east, 〈 one 〉 was of coloured stone, and one of pearl, and one of jacinth , and those towards the south of red stone. 8. But the middle one reached to heaven like the throne of God, of alabaster, and the summit of the throne was of sapphire. 9. And I saw a flaming fire. And beyond these mountains 10. is a region the end of the great earth: there the heavens were completed. 11. And I saw a deep abyss, with columns ⌈⌈ of heavenly fire, and among them I saw columns ⌉⌉ of fire fall, which were beyond measure alike towards the height and towards the depth. 12. And beyond that abyss I saw a place which had no firmament of the heaven above, and no firmly founded earth beneath it: there was no water upon it, and no birds, but it was a waste and horrible place. 13. I saw there seven stars like great burning mountains, and to me, when I inquired regarding them, 14. The angel said: 'This place is the end of heaven and earth: this has become a prison for the stars and the host of heaven. 15. And the stars which roll over the fire are they which have transgressed the commandment of the Lord in the beginning of their rising, because they did not come forth at their appointed times. 16. And He was wroth with them, and bound them till the time when their guilt should be consummated (even) ⌈ for ten thousand years ⌉ .'

CHAPTER XIX.

1. And Uriel said to me: 'Here shall stand the angels who have connected themselves with women, and their spirits assuming many different forms are defiling mankind and shall lead them astray

into sacrificing to demons ⌈⌈ as gods ⌉⌉ , (here shall they stand,) till ⌈⌈ the day of ⌉⌉ the great judgement in which they shall be judged till they are made an end of. 2. And the women also of the angels who went astray shall become sirens.' 3. And I, Enoch, alone saw the vision, the ends of all things: and no man shall see as I have seen.

XX. Name and Functions of the Seven Archangels .

CHAPTER XX.

1. And these are the names of the holy angels who watch. 2. Uriel, one of the holy angels, who is over the world and over Tartarus. 3. Raphael, one of the holy angels, who is over the spirits of men. 4. Raguel, one of the holy angels who †takes vengeance on† the world of the luminaries. 5. Michael, one of the holy angels, to wit, he that is set over the best part of mankind ⌈⌈ and ⌉⌉ over chaos. 6. Saraqâêl, one of the holy angels, who is set over the spirits, who sin in the spirit. 7. Gabriel, one of the holy angels, who is over Paradise and the serpents and the Cherubim. 8. Remiel, one of the holy angels, whom God set over those who rise.

XXI. Preliminary and final place of punishment of the fallen angels (stars) .

CHAPTER XXI.

1. And I proceeded to where things were chaotic. 2. And I saw there something horrible: I saw neither a heaven above nor a firmly founded earth, but a place chaotic and horrible. 3. And there I saw seven stars of the heaven bound together in it, like great mountains and burning with fire. 4. Then I said: 'For what sin are they bound, and on what account have they been cast in hither?' 5. Then said Uriel, one of the holy angels, who was with me, and was chief over them, and said: 'Enoch, why dost thou ask, and why art thou eager for the truth? 6. These are of the number of the stars ⌈ of heaven ⌉ , which have transgressed the commandment of the

[paragraph continues] Lord, and are bound here till ten thousand years, the time entailed by their sins, are consummated.' 7. And from thence I went to another place, which was still more horrible than the former, and I saw a horrible thing: a great fire there which burnt and blazed, and the place was cleft as far as the abyss, being full of great descending columns of fire: neither its extent or magnitude could I see, nor could I conjecture. 8. Then I said: 'How fearful is the place and how terrible to look upon!' 9. Then Uriel answered me, one of the holy angels who was with me, and said unto me: 'Enoch, why hast thou such fear and affright?' And I answered: 'Because of this fearful place, and because of the spectacle of the pain.' 10. And he said ⌈⌈ unto me ⌉⌉ : 'This place is the prison of the angels, and here they will be imprisoned for ever.'

Christian Literature

Most of the teaching of Jesus are recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The Complete Sayings of Jesus presents every word spoken by Jesus in one place and provides an index to assist in finding specific ocassions, places and/or events. It is a must read aid for serious Bible study.

He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, saith the Lord. These are the words of Christ; and they direct us to imitate his life and character. The Imitation of Christ is guide to following the example of Jesus Christ. Let it be our most earnest study to dwell upon the life and example of Jesus.

The Apocrypha books are 14 books that were included between the old and new testaments in the original King James Version of the bible and many others. Church leaders agreed that these books were valuable for instruction in life and manners, but did not all agree that they should be considered cannon.

The Childrens Bible provides bible lessons from the Old and New testaments. There are 216 stories written in plain english. The stories are easy to read and understand but they are not just for childern. It is a pleasure to read and enjoy these important stories.

God is Love

Let us love one another, for love comes from God and every one who loves is a child of God and knows God. He who loves not man does not know God, for God is love. God showed his love for us, for he sent his only Son into the world that through him we might have life. Love the stranger.

In Mark 12:30 Jesus said; And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment. And the second Mark 12:31 [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

New Testament

Old testament.

The Gospel of The Birth of Mary was attributed to St. Matthew and was received as genuine and authentic by early Christians. It is to be found in the works of Jerome, a Father of the Church in the 4th century and is translated from his collection.

The Book of Enoch is ascribed to the great-grandfather of Noah and is included in the cannon of some churches. It describes the fall of the angels (watchers), visions of heaven and hell and the birth of Noah. Quotes from the book of Enoch are found in the New Testament.

The First Book of Adam and Eve . Books 1 begins immediately after the expulsion from the Garden of Eden. We learn about the fall but also of the promise to save Adam and his decendents. The story depicts mans struggle against evil, the devil and sin.

The Second Book of Adam and Eve . Discusses Adam's sorrow and death. The history of the patriarchs who lived before the Flood until the birth of Noah; the children of Seth on Mount Hermon and Cain's death. It ends with the testament and translation of Enoch.

The Infancy of Jesus Christ (Infancy Gospel of Thomas) relates the life of Jesus from the ages of five to twelve. It is believed that the document was transcribed from oral traditions some time prior to the second century. The ancient writing is possibly Gnostic and many early church leaders considered it heretical.

Bible Study

Daily Bible study is essential. The Bible Verse of the Day provides a collection of enlightening and inspiration bible verses. Improve your knowledge and understanding of the Bible and your life by studying the words of the holy scripture. Explore the King James Bible (kjv) and discover new insights.

The World English Bible was produced to provide speakers of modern English with a version of the Bible that is easily understood. The Bible is in the public domain and available world-wide. It is an accurate modern translation of the original King James Bible, including the Apocryphal books.

Looking for something in the Bible? Want to find a specifc verse or list of words? The Bible search feature makes it easy find verses or words. Enter the verses or words in the search bar or visit the search page to access additional search options. Finding information in the Bible will never be easier.

Frequently Searched

Favorite verses and stories.

The favorite verses page is a list of popular bible verses. Each verse includes a link to the chapter and verse of the book where it is found in the bible. Click on any link for a bible verse and it will take you to that location in the bible.

The bible contains great stories. Visit the bible stories page for links to some of the best known and most significant stories and passages in the bible.

Frequently Searched Words

The finale in sight, Milwaukee chef Dan Jacobs looks back on his 'Top Chef' journey

Where does Dan Jacobs get the energy? 

The Milwaukee chef took a phone call with the Journal Sentinel just before prepping one of his restaurants, DanDan , 360 E. Erie St., for a private event — mere hours after a whirlwind trip to Chicago to attend the prestigious James Beard Award ceremony, where he and business partner, chef Dan Van Rite, had been nominated in the category of Best Chef, Midwest . 

They didn’t bring home the medal this year, but Jacobs wasn’t let down. 

“At least we’ll be able to use the tuxedos another time,” he said. 

It was the pair’s sixth nomination for the award, but their first time making the short list. Pretty impressive during the stretch when their fine-dining restaurant, EsterEv , 2165 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., was transitioning from a space inside sister restaurant DanDan to its new, standalone digs in Bay View . 

It's even more impressive considering the opening coincided with the beginning of Jacobs’ spectacular run as a contestant on Season 21 of “Top Chef,” the popular Bravo cooking competition show that was set in Wisconsin this season . 

And on June 19, he might just take home the title. 

After 13 weeks in competition, Jacobs is one of three contestants moving on to the finale , along with Danny Garcia of New York City and Savannah Miller of Durham, North Carolina.

If he wins, Jacobs will take home $250,000, be featured in Food & Wine magazine and make a special appearance at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado. And that doesn’t include the inevitable boost both his restaurants will receive from superfans who want a taste of the food from a “Top Chef” champion. 

But for now, he’s stoked to have made it to the competition’s end. 

“I’m so proud of how I’ve been able to represent Milwaukee and Wisconsin on the show,” Jacobs said. “It’s such a cool thing. I’m going to cook in the finale! I’m one of 60 people that have ever been able to do that over 20-plus years. 

“It really justifies the voice in my head that always said that I could do this and was good enough to be in my position." 

Jacobs was cast this season after applying to compete nearly a dozen times, the first time a professionally working chef from Wisconsin has been cast on the show. In an interview with the Journal Sentinel after the season premiered, he said there was something about this season’s tryout that just felt right. 

“I never gave up on it,” he said. “And it’s something that has made it all the sweeter, that it’s taken a little bit longer. I don’t know if I would have done as well as a younger version of myself. But I’ve always known I could do this.” 

Finale prep meant studying, staying away from the kitchen 

After Jacobs earned his spot in the top four on Episode 12 , he and the other contestants took a weekslong hiatus before reuniting for the finale in Curaçao. Garcia, Miller and top-four finalist Laura Ozyilmaz split off to their homes on the coasts while Jacobs remained in Milwaukee, his home just five minutes from the downtown hotel the contestants had been sequestered in for about six weeks. 

In a sense, it was a relief for Jacobs, who could finally spend time with his wife, Kate Riley, and pop into his restaurants that had been operating without him for a month and a half. 

“It was weird. I wanted to be there, but I didn’t want to jump back in since I knew I would be leaving again,” he said. “That lasted one service ... or maybe an hour into one service. Then I was back in plating at EsterEv and talking to tables. It was really hard for me to not be present during it.” 

When he could pull himself away from his restaurants, he spent time studying Caribbean cuisine, something he knew would be at the forefront of his finale challenges. 

He ate at Caribbean restaurants in Milwaukee and Chicago, and texted back and forth with “Top Chef: Wisconsin” contestant Charly Pierre, who is Haitian, for advice. 

“It was a deep dive,” he said. “And now I have a love for habaneros and scotch bonnets that I never had before. They’re by far my favorite peppers now.” 

But he also allowed some time to recharge, a much-needed reset after weeks of relentless competition. 

“I think I was running a little low on gas,” he said of the end of his regular-season run. “I felt like if we would have kept going, I don’t think we’d be having the discussion we’re having right now.” 

Experience and time were key factors in his 'Top Chef' run 

At 46, Jacobs is the oldest contestant on Season 21, always quick to crack a joke about his position as “the old man” in the group of younger chefs around him. But he was always able to keep up, especially admirable considering he competed all these weeks while battling Kennedy’s Disease , a neuromuscular condition that affects his ability to walk, use his hands and swallow. All things he’d need to rely on while competing on “Top Chef.” 

He revealed his condition to his fellow contestants on Episode 2, and he relied on leg braces and a cane to maneuver around the Top Chef Kitchen and challenge destinations as he competed. 

Some would’ve leaned on his condition as a handicap, but Jacobs’ years of restaurant experience and a disease that forces him to slow down may be contributing factors to his success on the show. 

“Top Chef” judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons said as much when they spoke to the Journal Sentinel in an interview in Milwaukee last summer after Dan had made the top five. 

“Dan doesn’t move as quickly as the other chefs in the kitchen, and we all know why and are respectful of that,” Simmons said. “But there hasn’t been an instance, ever, when he hasn’t accomplished just as much if not more than anyone else. And it makes you think, the other chefs are just clamoring and rushing so fast, maybe there’s something to be said for taking a minute, thinking a little more slowly, and moving more slowly, with purpose and intention. Because he’s still here. He’s top five, and he’s at the top of his game.” 

“Obviously he’s struggling with his illness, but he’s been a trooper, and he wanted to come on the show because of that, to show everyone that it’s not stopping him, and he’s definitely done that,” Colicchio said. “He’s already won the season without winning the season.” 

Jacobs’ biggest struggles and successes on “Top Chef” 

Jacobs owes much of his success on the show to methodical thinking. When approaching each challenge, he kept a checklist of things he knew he needed to do to pull it off successfully. 

“The two times I deviated from the checklist were the two times I found myself in the bottom,” he said, referring to the Brewers’ Famous Racing Sausages challenge and the tablescape challenge . “I learned that, as long as I followed my gut and followed what I’d prepared myself for, I was always good.” 

The main focus of the checklist was to correctly interpret each challenge and stick to the theme. Those two times he fell in the bottom, he said he was trying to force his cooking into a concept where it didn’t fit. 

Also on his checklist were creativity and correct plating (“You’re not going to pick a bowl where someone needs to cut meat,” he said. “You have to think about how somebody’s going to eat a dish.”), but the most important item was to have fun. 

“Both of the challenges where I found myself on the bottom, I was tense or uncomfortable with something happening, and just not having fun,” he said. “I really had to make sure that I would go into the challenge in the correct headspace.” 

The chaos cuisine challenge was one of his favorites of the season, a head-scratcher of a prompt that let the chefs basically do whatever they wanted in the kitchen as long as it was creative. 

“I thought the chaos challenge got a bad rap, but I got to just make something that I knew was gonna be really fun, almost stoner-y, but still really, really good,” he said. (Jacobs made a playful, savory take on Japanese okonomiyaki funnel cake.) 

The Indigenous food challenge was another favorite — for the opposite reason. The chefs were limited to using only Indigenous ingredients that many had never worked with, and Jacobs said that restriction forced him to push himself in a new direction. 

“It was one of those moments where you’re so constricted and there are so many parameters that you become creative because of it,” he said. “I also have a lot of admiration and respect for those judges,” referring to guest judges chef Sean Sherman of Owamni and NATIFS , Elena Terry of Wild Bearies and Bryce Stevenson of Miijim . 

Jacobs placed high on both of his favorite challenges, but he won two outright this season: the supper club challenge and Restaurant Wars.  

Both were collaborative challenges where teams worked together to create a complete menu. 

“I’m not shocked by that, because I look at restaurants and cooking professionally as a team sport,” he said. “You’re only as good as the people that you have on your team.” 

New cooking skills and special bonds were formed in the Top Chef Kitchen 

Although he was competing against them, Jacobs thought of his fellow contestants as a team the entire time, and remains close with them. 

“We have a really active group chat,” he said. “We all genuinely like each other.” 

He said there’s a special bond with the contestants who stuck around longer in the competition.  

And, yes, he’s still tight with his on-screen bestie, contestant Amanda Turner. He said of the other half of the duo dubbed “Damanda” on the show, “I found somebody I’m going to be friends with for the rest of my life.” 

He’s not just taking those friendships with him. Jacobs has walked away with a new appreciation for cooking after watching and learning from his fellow contestants. 

“You’re surrounded by all these creatives and we all kind of fed off each other,” he said. “That’s what cooking is about, learning from other people around you.” 

He pointed to fellow finalist Garcia as a source of inspiration — the notoriously technical chef creates dishes that look like artwork. He picked up pastry skills from Kévin D'Andrea, too. And he called watching Michelle Wallace make fried chicken “such a pleasure.” 

He even learned a few tricks for home cooking from Manny Barella. 

“I would ask Manny to tell me about all this super junk food — the kind of stuff we would make and eat on our own ... that was always really fun,” he said. 

“There’s always going to be somebody who knows something you don’t know anything about, and you just try to pick up from them by watching.” 

Jacobs is welcoming many of his fellow “Top Chef” contestants to DanDan and EsterEv in a series of guest chef dinners and brunches held through November this year. Turner, Kaleena Bliss and Soo Ahn have already participated. Garcia, Miller, Barella and Wallace will come back to cook in the months to come. It’s a chance for Jacobs to see his old friends and give the people of Milwaukee a taste of the cooking that inspired him throughout the competition. 

And it’s another chance for the chefs to spend time in Milwaukee, too. 

Milwaukee didn’t need 'Top Chef' to be cool ... but it’s nice to be recognized 

Jacobs acted as a city ambassador to the cast and crew as they filmed here late last summer, pointing out historical sites and favorite spots around town. 

“Every time we bring a chef up here from anywhere around the country, they’re always like, ‘Holy (expletive), Milwaukee is cool!’” he said. “It’s something I said even early on: We’re so cool that we don’t even know we’re cool.” 

It was clear to everyone — even the judges — how special this place is to him, and how special he is to the city. 

“He’s obviously beloved,” Simmons said. “Every guest judge who’s walked into our kitchen has been so excited to see him. This show is going to make him famous around the country, but, apparently, he was already the most popular chef in Milwaukee to begin with.” 

“This is a really cool place to live, work and call home,” Jacobs said. “And I’ve had the pleasure of doing that for 13 years now. I’m so excited for whatever’s to come in the future. I’m all in. This place is home.” 

Home is where Jacobs plans to watch the “Top Chef: Wisconsin” finale. He might invite a couple friends over, but, right now, he said, his social battery is running low. 

Maybe he’ll have time to tuck away his new tuxedo, add a new dish to EsterEv’s tasting menu or gear up for DanDan’s new vendor post at Summerfest this year. 

He’s already thinking about what his next big TV endeavor would be, as he fell in love with television filming during his time on the show. 

But after this year, and an incredible run to the “Top Chef: Wisconsin” finale, no one could blame him if he took a little rest. 

How to watch 'Top Chef: Wisconsin' finale: TV channel, streaming  

The finale of "Top Chef: Wisconsin" will air live on Bravo on June 19 at 8 p.m., and will be available to stream the next day on  Peacock ,  BravoTV.com  or the  Bravo app.  

Rachel Bernhard  joined the Journal Sentinel as dining critic in June 2023. She’s been busy exploring the Milwaukee area food scene to share her favorite finds with readers along the way. Like all Journal Sentinel reporters, she buys all meals, accepts no gifts and is independent of all establishments she covers.    

What should she cover next? Contact her at  [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter at  @rachelbernhard  or on Instagram at  @rach.eats.mke .     

Freehold grad Danny Garcia wins 'Top Chef Wisconsin'

2 minute read.

A chef who got his start in a Monmouth County high school cooking program is the newest "Top Chef."

Danny Garcia, a 2010 graduate of Freehold High School and former student of the Freehold Regional High School District's Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management Magnet Program, took home the title during the season 21 finale of the Bravo cooking show on June 19.

Garcia told Food & Wine that he prepared for the competition by watching all 20 seasons of "Top Chef" and researching the culinary scene of Wisconsin, where this season was filmed.

Hidden Gems: Kostas Grill in Tuckerton is a Greek delight

Garcia, who lives and works in New York, and fellow chefs Dan Jacobs of Wisconsin and Savannah Miller of North Carolina were tasked with cooking "the best four-course meal of your lives," judge and host Kristen Kish explained in the episode.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Garcia chose to center his final meal around the theme of memories.

"I want to take the judges on a journey through my life," he said.

His first course was scallop and habanero leche de tigre (citrus marinade) with breadfruit and nori tuile, inspired by a dish he prepared during a job interview with the late James Kent, founder of Saga Hospitality Group. Garcia, an executive chef with the New York-based restaurant group, is in the process of opening Saga's newest restaurant, Time & Tide.

Garcia's second course was smoked mussels with plantains and cabbage, smoked mussel mayo and fine herbes puree. His third course was spiny lobster with salsa macha, squash, persimmon and chaaza sauce.

More: 5 food trucks and trailers to find this summer at the Shore

"I'm telling the story of the first dish that my wife made for me," he told the judges regarding the lobster dish. "I remember it like it was yesterday."

Dessert was cantaloupe piragua con leche, a melon sorbet with avocado yogurt, candied seaweed and condensed milk.

"As a kid, my grandfather would pick me up from school and we would always get something sweet before he took me home," he told the judges, "and it was traditionally a piragua, which is a really classic Puerto Rican shaved ice."

Garcia plans to use his winnings — $303,000, the most ever won on the show — to build a home with his wife.

"Being the first Puerto Rican, Dominican, Muslim Top Chef is incredible," he said. "It just feels good to put up the food I want to put up, and I'm just proud of myself."

Sarah Griesemer joined the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey in 2003 and has been writing all things food since 2014.  Send restaurant tips to [email protected] ,   follow on Instagram  at Jersey Shore Eats   and  subscribe to our Jersey Shore Eats newsletter .

• Best Beauty Buys 2024
• Sex & Marriage
• Cooking Tips
• Festive Food
• Asian Recipes
• Celebrity Recipes
• Dessert Recipes
• Healthy Recipes
• Quick & Easy Recipes
• Western Recipes
• Beauty & Health
• Diet & Nutrition
• Entertainment
• SPA AWARDS 2023
• Great Women of Our Time
• Also available at:

Privacy Menu

Copyright © 2024 SPH Media Limited. Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. All rights reserved.

These Ex-Convicts Turned Their Lives Around By Starting F&B Eateries

Starting a business isn’t an easy feat, let alone facing pushback from society

Credit: Instagram/soonhuatbkt, instagram/journey_by_chef_enoch

It’s the stigma attached to having a criminal record that pushes many ex-convicts to turn back to a life of crime . Shunned by people who label them as the ‘black sheep’ of society, ex-convicts are often discriminated against and face employment difficulties.

Despite that, a number of ex-convicts have decided to bravely press on to make something for themselves after doing time — and some of them have delved into the F&B scene to do so.

Are These Michelin Bib Gourmand Hawker Stalls Worth The Hype?

At 40, This Former Bank Executive Decided To Become A Full-Time Hawker

If you want to support and give them a second chance, you can consider patronising these eateries that have been opened by ex-offenders the next time you dine out.

Prior to opening Chef Chik, founder Chik Ka Chung was an executive chef at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza’s Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant.

That was also where he  committed the crime that landed him in jail for four months  — pocketing money from a seafood supplier in return for continuing orders.

After his release, Ka Chung decided to open Chef Chik, a hawker stall that specialises in a myriad of Cantonese dishes at Haig Road Market & Food Centre.

While the switch from a luxurious hotel kitchen to a humble hawker set up must have taken some time to adjust, Ka Chung seems to be happy with the outcome, considering that the stall is still around after opening in 2012.

#01-36, Haig Road Hawker Centre, 14 Haig Road, Singapore 430014

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Melvin Chew 金记潮州卤鸭淉汁 (@jinjimelvinchew)

Who would have thought that a former secondary school dropout and drug addict would eventually move on to open a restaurant in Bangkok?

That was exactly what Enoch Teo did. After a year behind bars for breaking into a car, the young man decided to turn over a new leaf and pursue his passion for cooking by working at a  tzi char  restaurant.

Despite being rejected by two culinary schools, he managed to snag a job at French restaurant Absinthe. There, he worked under chef Francois Mermiliod, who wrote him a recommendation which finally got him into a culinary school.

Eventually, Enoch managed to open the now defunct French establishment, Garçons, with his friend, Immanuel Tee.

Some may have wondered where Enoch is after shuttering Garçons. A Bangkok Foodies article  reveals that the ambitious chef has decided to start a restaurant in Ekkamai, Bangkok called Journey by Chef Enoch. There, he will be selling Singapore-inspired cuisine so that the locals can have a taste of what our little red dot has to offer.

2 Sukhumvit Road, Phrakanong-Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Journey By Chef Enoch (@journey_by_chef_enoch)

Some of you have tried the famous clay pot Hokkien mee from Kim Keat Hokkien Mee at Lor 4 Toa Payoh. But did you know that stall founder Kelvin Lee, was previously a pimp and drug dealer?

Kelvin spent a good bulk of his life in and out of prison — around 20 years in jail. Since he was a teenager, he committed crimes such as extortion, illegal hawking, pimping and drug dealing.

After promising his family that he would change for the better, he eventually managed to open up a stall in a Toa Payoh coffee shop selling Hokkien mee. Soon, his stall was on the public’s radar after being reviewed by popular food bloggers such as Leslie Tay – the one who gave him the idea of serving his noodles in a clay pot with roast pork.

Kelvin also took the opportunity to help others like him and hired ex-offenders to help him at the stall.

Sadly, Kelvin passed away in 2016. However, the reins of the stall have been taken over by his son who has decided to continue his father’s business.

Block 92 Toa Payoh Lorong 4, #01-264, Singapore 310092

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dominic Chia Kheen Fei (@dominic_chia)

An ex-convict-turned-chef who recently made the news is Raymond Tan. In an interview with  8days.sg , the 33-year-old talked about how he used to live a life of crime before eventually setting up a car rental and repair company as well as his new eatery, Reimondo Seafood Congee.

When he was younger, Raymond had been a troubled youth who was spent most of his time in prison and boys’ homes — from crimes like shoplifting and housebreaking.

In a bid to stay out of jail for good, he started his car rental and repair company. Business was so good that he became a millionaire in two years but after that, he gambled all his hard-earned money away, which led to him having a turbulent relationship with his wife.

However, after hearing that she was pregnant with their second child, he decided to stop spiralling and opened up a hawker stall at MacPherson which specialised in crabmeat wanton mee.

Unfortunately, business was not good and he had to shutter the stall in 2017, but in 2020 during the pandemic, he decided to try giving the hawker life another shot and opened Reimondo Seafood Congee in Pasir Ris. He eventually hopes to hire ex-convicts like himself to give them a second chance.

110 Pasir Ris Central, #02-07, Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre, Singapore 519641

View this post on Instagram A post shared by @reimondoseafoodcongee

Easties may have come across Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh, a popular restaurant in Simpang Bedok that specialises in herbal bak kut teh — similar to those that you can get in Malaysia.

The establishment is helmed by Jabez Tan, who spent 12 years in jail for drug and theft-related offences. However, being in jail did not deter Jabez from using his time wisely and he determinedly worked his way up from being a kitchen dishwasher to the main prison chef.

After serving his time, he created a unique  bak kut teh  recipe and set up shop in Simpang Bedok. He also wanted to give ex-offenders like himself a chance, so the bulk of his staff are mostly ex-criminals who are seeking a new lease of life.

302 Bedok Road, Singapore 469460

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh 順發肉骨茶 (@soonhuatbkt)

Changing lives one cuppa at a time is ex-offender Matthew Poh, who banded together with ex-prison officer, Hilary Lo, to open The Caffeine Experience. The aim of this social enterprise cafe is to provide a second chance to ex-convicts just like Matthew, and they’ve been in the F&B scene since 2018.

While in prison, Matthew had feared not being able to land a job after he was done doing his time. As an ex-business owner, he planned on starting something once he was out and shared this dream with Hilary while he was still in prison.

In an interview with  Frasers Property , Matthew said that convincing potential investors was a struggle and it was extremely difficult for him to gain the trust needed to raise funds for the project. However, he didn’t blame them for feeling this way.

When he finally managed to set up The Caffeine Experience, Matthew reached out to various agencies to link him up with individuals who needed a second chance at life. He also makes it a point to let his staff run the cafe themselves “so that they feel like they are capable members of society.”

10 Hospital Boulevard #01-04 SingHealth Tower, OCH 168582

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Caffeine Experience (@theofficialtce)

Wow Wow West’s story is a tad bit different from the others on this list as founder, Eric Huang, is not an ex-convict. Instead, he has made it his life’s mission to take in ex-offenders and give them a second chance in life thanks to a deal he made with God a few years ago.

When his oldest daughter, Elizabeth — who is now the second generation owner of Wow Wow West — ran away from home, Eric had turned to Christianity and promised to dedicate his life to serving God as counsellor with a halfway house if his daughter returned home.

She did come home in the end. Keeping to his word, Eric took in ex-offenders sent by halfway houses and made them full-time employees. Apart from teaching them how to cook, he also counsels them for encouragement and motivation.

ABC Brickworks Food Centre, 6 Jalan Bukit Merah, #01-133, Singapore 150006

View this post on Instagram A post shared by @riomilan2

We’ll be ending off with one of the more famous convict-turned-chefs around — Benny Se Teo, owner of Eighteen Chefs.

Apart from being known for his pretty humorous Facebook posts, the chef has been vocal about his concerns for ex-offenders and individuals who struggle with addiction.

Actions speak louder than words and to do his part, Benny employs ex-offenders at his restaurant, Eighteen Chefs.

Benny, of all people, would understand the struggle as he himself has spent many years in and out of prison. A near-death experience was what pushed him to start his recovery journey and after spending six years in a halfway house, he finally opened his own restaurant.

It wasn’t easy managing a bunch of ex-offenders and at the start, Benny struggled as fights constantly broke out. However, over time, he has learnt how to train his staff and now, Eighteen Chefs has grown to become a household name.

200 Victoria St, #04-06 Bugis Junction, Singapore 188021

Text: Melissa Teo/ AsiaOne

3 Pao Fan Hawker Stalls Opened By Former Chefs Of Jumbo, Wah Lok And Raffles Hotel

7 Permanent 'Pasar Malam Food' Stalls Where You Can Satisfy Your Cravings

The Best Places In Singapore For Restaurant-Style Hawker Food

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Eighteen Chefs (@eighteenchefs)

• asian comfort food
• hawker food
• local business
• Restaurants
• singapore hawker food
• start a business

SHARE THIS ON

What’s hot.

16 Kid-Friendly Restaurants For Parents ...

20 Places For Comforting And Nourishing ...

15 Spots To Get Your Indian Rojak Fix In...

Bak Kut Teh & Other Unique Rice Dumpling...

12 Farms In Singapore For Fresh Veggies,...

8 Chinese Restaurants With Sumptuous Mot...

New Cafes, Restaurants & Menus In Singap...

Celebrate Mother's Day At These Restaura...

10 Great Places For Popiah In Singapore

Indulge In Delightful Warabi Mochi At Th...

9 Indulgent Mother's Day High Tea Experi...

Portuguese To Hong Kong-style: 10 Places...

Don't Miss Out Ever Again!

Yes, I would also like to receive SPH Media Group's ⓘ marketing and promotions.