As Father’s Day rolls around, these chefs share stories about their dads from some top chefs; their dad were great chefs and inspired them to become who they were today, says the following men:

• Chen Kentaro of Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro

• Dee Chan of The Black Pearl

• Shingo Iijima of The Fat Cow

We also hear from chefs who have become dads themselves all about how they’re balancing the onerous demands of F&B and fatherhood:

• Felix Chong of 1-Group

• Eugene See of Birds Of A Feather

• Dylan Ong of The Masses 

PS – some of the chefs generously shared some really adorable photos!

Should you be inspired to share quotes from them for an upcoming story or social media post, these quotes may be shared as long as they are credited accordingly. If you’d like an original quote or to interview these chefs, please reach out. It will be our pleasure to help. :) 

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BECAUSE DAD WAS THE BEST

They are all Papa’s boy, in the sweetest sense of the phrase.  

CHEN KENTARO, FOUNDER, SHISEN HANTEN BY CHEN KENTARO

Chen Kentaro was probably destined to be a chef – or, perhaps, more specifically, a Chūka Szechwan Ryori specialist. When he was born in 1979, his grandfather Chen Kenmin was already famous for bringing Szechwan flavours to Japan, and his father Chen Kenichi had already become Japan’s “Szechwan Sage” (料理の鉄人). Chen Kenichi was also one of Japan’s greatest and longest-serving ‘Iron Chefs’. With such an illustrious gastronomic background, Chen Kentaro undoubtedly felt the pressure when he decided to go into F&B. But he never faltered. 

Young Chen Kentaro and his dad, Chef Kenichi

His significant turning point was watching his father live on TV for Iron Chef in his early 20s – he was intrigued by his dad’s skills and performance. He was already in university when he asked to join the family business; and despite his father’s forebodings, entered the kitchen of Shisen Hanten at age 21.

His father and grandfather shaped his approach, and several dishes in the Shisen Hanten menu were personally taught to him by Chef Kenichi. One of Chef Kentaro’s most memorable moments was when Chef Kenichi taught him their family’s iconic Mapo Tofu recipe; he said very seriously, “this dish has no recipe.” It was a huge shock to young Kentaro, but Chef Kenichi then went on to explain that he said this because before cooking any dish, the chef needs to think about the diner before and during cooking to make sure the final result suits their tastes. It was a powerful reminder that cooking is not formulaic — it’s emotional. You cook with your heart, for the person in front of you.

In fact, throughout his culinary years, his father not only taught him cooking, but also the way of life. He was taught humility, to treat everyone with respect and always have gratitude. If he cooked every dish with sincerity and love, diners will feel it when they are here for a meal. 

Chefs Chen Kentaro & Chen Kenichi at Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro (in Singapore, pre-renovation)

Today, Chef Kentaro carries forward a three-generation culinary legacy, but long before accolades and titles, he was simply a son watching his father on television — mesmerised.

DEE CHAN, EXECUTIVE CHEF, 黑珍珠THE BLACK PEARL

Hong Kong native Dee Chan was born to a Cantonese father who was a dim sum chef. When his dad relocated to Singapore for work, young Dee suddenly had much less time to spend with his father and he missed him very much. 

But every time his father returned home, he would quietly show his love the Asian parent way, by cooking Chef Dee’s favourite dishes. To communicate better with his dad and spend more time with him, Chef Dee would take the initiative to learn how to cook various dishes from him – now one of his most precious memories of his dad. Eventually, it became both of them cooking with, and for each other!

L-R: A precious photo of Chef Dee Chan’s father holding him, and a recent portrait of Chef Dee 

Chef Dee recalls the first time he cooked something from scratch for his father: 

“The first time I cooked a dish for my father was when I was around 12 years old – I pan-fried a fish simply with salt and lemon juice. My father didn’t realise that I cooked it! He had thought it was cooked by my mother. When he found out, he was very proud of me, and I felt very proud of myself too.” 

Nonetheless, he hadn’t really thought about being a chef at first and pursued engineering in university, but having grown up watching the father he loved and admired become a highly respected chef inevitably influenced his final career decision. Dee Chan made the decision to become “Chef”, and he quickly climbed the ranks with a slew of awards and stints in some of the biggest Chinese restaurant names such as Mott32. 

We asked Chef Dee if he felt that he had become his dad, and his response? 

“We still have a very good relationship, and often when I encounter problems in life or at work, I turn to him. I also try to cook for my children at least once a week now, and my younger son shows interest in cooking too!” 

SHINGO IIJIMA, HEAD CHEF, FAT COW 

Young Shingo Iijima grew up in what one might call an F&B family: they ran their own izakaya, and his father was also a butcher and fishmonger in addition to being a chef. 

A little surprisingly – especially for someone who is close to his family, Shingo’s early ambitions did not lie in the hospitality nor culinary directions. Instead, the young man wanted to be a kindergarten teacher! It was much later when he had experience working in different F&B environments that he did an about-turn and wholeheartedly threw himself into becoming a chef.  

Chef Shingo Iijima

Now when asked about his father, Chef Shingo readily acknowledges that he has learnt a lot from him:

“My father was a butcher, fishmonger and izakaya owner, so he was very knowledgeable about finding good ingredients and cooking with them. Since I was little, I’ve eaten my father’s cooking and gone to the market with him… I’ve learnt how to talk to suppliers and select ingredients, and how to deal flexibly with unexpected situations and adversity.” 

Interestingly, Shingo – as head chef of one of Singapore’s most beloved wagyu specialist restaurants – has confessed that one of his fondest food memories was related to both wagyu and his father:

“For every celebration, my father prepared wagyu beef sukiyaki for me.”

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SUPER DAD

Fatherhood changed the world for them. 

FELIX CHONG, HEAD OF CULINARY DEVELOPMENT – ITALIAN & MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE, 1-GROUP 

Chef Felix Chong carrying his son 

“Honestly, juggling a busy career in hospitality with being a dad is something you're always figuring out. You really have to be committed, make sure you're looking after yourself and actually spending quality time with your family. When I head home, I try to switch gears and really be there for my family, sharing dinner and doing bedtime routines. It helps that Singapore is now more focused on work-life balance, with things like better paternity leave for dads. 

Being a dad totally changed how I do things in hospitality. It's made me better at guessing what people need; knowing what your kids need before they ask is a lot like knowing what guests want, which helps us create those special experiences!” 

Felix has one son and one daughter.

EUGENE SEE, HEAD CHEF, BIRDS OF A FEATHER

L-R: A recent portrait of Chef Eugene See, and a selfie of himself with his daughter 

“Having children wasn’t something I exactly planned, but it felt like a natural next step after getting married. After my daughter was born and I finally got to meet her, everything changed. The world looked the same but it was totally different. She became a top priority in every decision I made. 

Life now follows the same routine every day: I send my daughter to school, head to work, then return home and spend time with her if she’s still awake. If things are not very busy in the restaurant, I come home to read her bedtime stories. 

Because becoming a father has made me realise that it’s not just about putting food on the table – time is equally important. Whether we’re doing nothing or sharing a meaningful moment, just being present with family truly matters.” 

Eugene has one daughter. 

DYLAN ONG, CHEF-OWNER, THE MASSES

Chef Dylan Ong

“Sundays? Those are strictly family time, no exceptions! I have a packed schedule, but setting clear rhythms helps me stay present in both worlds. And I run my restaurants with this non-negotiable: if your kid needs you, go. Because at the end of the line, no dish, no service, no paycheck will ever matter more than the people you’re doing it all for. Your kids won’t remember the hours you worked. They’ll remember the hours you showed up.

I don’t need a calendar to tell me what fatherhood means. The real gift isn’t a single day; it’s the messy, beautiful everyday with them. There’s a particular dish at The Masses that really reminds me of my kids: the bone marrow dish! There’s something funnily primal about watching your kids (then 7,4 and youngest 3!) go feral for it, slathering that rich “butter of the gods” on toast with a good amount of herbs on it, like tiny gourmands. If they can appreciate rendered marrow at age 3, I’ve done my job haha!”

Dylan has three children: two sons, and one daughter. 

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We hope this has inspired to hug your dad!