There's a particular kind of pride that comes with National Day. Beyond the parades, the fly-pasts and the inevitable scramble for a good view of the fireworks, it's a moment to take stock of just how far our Little Red Dot has come — and at 61 years young, Singapore has plenty to be proud of. Nowhere is that story written more deliciously than at our dining tables.
Singapore's food culture has always been our common ground and our greatest calling card, from hawker stalls to white-tablecloth fine dining. But behind every memorable meal is a person: a chef quietly honing their craft from sunrise to sunset; a founder who took a deep breath and then a leap of faith; a steward who refused to let a legacy fade.
As we mark another year of independence, we're shining the spotlight on a handful of “Made in Singapore” talents — whose passion, grit and vision continue to put Singapore firmly on the global culinary map. Here are some of our local heroes who are worth raising a glass to.
BRAND OWNERS
The ones who had a vision for tomorrow, and believed.
1-GROUP, JOSEPH ONG
Few names have shaped Singapore's modern lifestyle and F&B scene quite like 1-Group. In a climate where F&B concepts come and go in a heartbeat, the group has not only endured but flourished over 15 years. At present, 1-Group has grown into an F&B powerhouse with a portfolio of some 30 dining, nightlife and lifestyle concepts that have become fixtures of the city's social calendar.
Joseph Ong, 1-Group
This local behemoth began as a final-year project at Manchester Business School grew to became one of Singapore's leading F&B and entertainment empires. 15 years on, Joseph's "collective leadership" philosophy has grown 1-Group into a juggernaut spanning dining, bars, clubs, cafes, events and consultancy. As a former finance and sales high-flyer turned entrepreneur, he's as comfortable in the boardroom as he is championing the next generation of leaders.
Key Milestones:
- Founder & Managing Director of 1-Group, today spanning some 30 concepts and over $75M in Lifestyle-F&B revenue
- Former regional Head of Finance for Asia Pacific & Japan at Symantec, later the region's youngest VP of sales
- Author of remote-Entrepreneurship™ (2015), reframing entrepreneurship and de-centralised leadership
Joseph Ong’s D.O.B: 24 March 1972
ASIN, CHEF ACE TAN
Born of Hokkien parentage and raised amid the wet markets and hawker centres of Singapore, Chef Ace Tan's cooking is inseparable from memory. After an early detour through advertising, he answered food's persistent call — knocking on restaurant doors until someone said yes — and has never looked back since. The result is what he calls Progressive Asian Cuisine: deeply personal, narrative-driven, and grounded in the principles of 食疗 (shí liáo) he absorbed as a child.
Key Milestones:
- Opened ASIN (pronounced "Ace-in") in May 2026 at 38 Carpenter Street, the next evolution of his culinary journey
- Pioneer of "Progressive Asian Cuisine," first defined at his previous restaurant, ASU
- Honed his craft at Pollen and at French haute-cuisine institution Les Amis
Chef Ace Tan’s D.O.B: 28 October 1981
L-R: Chef Ace Tan, ASIN; Chef Damian D'Silva, Gilmore & Damian D'Silva
GILMORE & DAMIAN D'SILVA, CHEF DAMIAN D'SILVA
Affectionately known as the "Grandfather of Heritage Cuisine," Chef Damian D'Silva earned his stripes under the watchful eyes of his Peranakan grandmother and his Eurasian grandfather, "Pop." For over 2 decades, he has made it his mission to celebrate, showcase and elevate Singapore's own cuisine — those complex and gloriously layered flavours born and developed from generations of migrants working together — at home and on the world stage.
Key Milestones:
- Champion of Singaporean heritage cuisine through celebrated restaurants including Folklore, Kin and Rempapa
- Recipient of the La Liste Artisan & Authenticity Award (2024) and a Special Recognition award at the Singapore Tourism Awards (2024)
- Opening Gilmore & Damian D'Silva at the National Gallery Singapore — a showcase of largely Eurasian recipes, some dating back more than 200 years, dedicated to his beloved grandfather
Chef Damian D'Silva’s D.O.B: 24 November 1956
RED HOUSE SEAFOOD, CHRISTOPHER CHANG
Some legacies are inherited; others are chosen. For Christopher Chang, third-generation steward of Red House Seafood, it was the latter. Moved by his parents’ sacrifice and the commitment from his team, he eventually traded his career in finance in favour of the family business — and quietly transformed it. His leadership philosophy is refreshingly unglamorous, unpretentiously disciplined: consistency over hype, sincerity over noise, and people first, always.
Christopher Chang, Red House Seafood
Key Milestones:
- Director and CEO of Red House Seafood, and the third generation of the founding family to lead it
- Officially joined in 2014, working his way from dishwasher and kitchen helper before rising up the ranks
- Steered the brand from a family-run outlet to a professionally run organisation that’s now marking its 50th anniversary
Christopher Chang’s D.O.B: 1983
*****************
TOP TALENTS
The ones spending 16 hours a day chopping vegetables into perfectly identical strips and memorizing how 75OC feels on their fingertips – who learnt through sheer hard work that talent must be accompanied by discipline and a dream, by self-mastery
1-GROUP, CHEF FELIX CHONG
With more than 2 decades of experience helming fine-dining Italian kitchens around the world, Chef Felix is a true believer in doing things from scratch — from bread, butter, and his beloved pasta, "the soul of Italian cuisine." His cooking is shaped by his travels through Italy, with hints of Asian flavour woven in as a quiet nod to his roots.
Key Milestones:
- Culinary Associate Director of 1-Group and long-time culinary force behind MONTI at 1-Pavilion
- Honed his craft at 3 Michelin-starred Otto e Mezzo in Hong Kong under Chef Umberto Bombana
- World Gourmet Summit Chef of the Month (December 2021) and multiple-time Chef of the Year finalist
- Has cooked privately for the likes of Jack Ma and former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong
Chef Felix Chong’s D.O.B: 6 April 1984
L-R: Chef Felix Chong, 1-Group; Chef Isaac Tan, Commonwealth Concepts
COMMONWEALTH CONCEPTS, CHEF ISAAC TAN(Head of Culinary and Product Innovation)
If you've ever sliced into a Tomahawk steak in Singapore, you have Chef Isaac Tan to thank. He’s one of the first, if not the very first, to introduce the Tomahawk steak to Singapore back in 2009, starting with Bedrock Bar & Grill. Renowned for his mastery of premium meats and wood-fire cooking, he's spent nearly 2 decades building memorable dining experiences rooted in respect — for ingredients, and for the farmers and producers behind them.
Key Milestones:
- Named Best Head Chef in Asia at the Haute Grandeur Global Restaurant Awards in 2019, 2021 and 2022
- A key figure behind Bedrock Bar & Grill since 2008, and the man who introduced its signature Tomahawk Steak to Singapore in 2009
- Head of Culinary and Product Innovation across Commonwealth Concepts, a Global Ambassador for the Australian Meat Academy, mentor for the Chef X concept which offers home chefs a platform to realise their F&B dreams
Chef Isaac Tan’s D.O.B: 13 April 1972
Raising a Toast to Our Own
What ties these stories together isn't a single cuisine or accolade — it's a shared conviction in Singapore's food, a belief that it is its own cuisine, has its own language, showcases our history and culture. It is a bridge, a sign of welcome with open arms: from one culture to the other within ourselves, and from ourselves to the world.
Whether it's a chef reinterpreting Asian flavours through memory, a steward protecting a 50-year legacy, or a founder reimagining how an entire industry can be led, each of these talents have poured heart, soul and craft into something distinctly ours.
Red House Seafood Group Shot; image credit Red House Seafood
61 years on, that spirit of ambition and reinvention feels as alive as ever — and it's a spirit we can savour, quite literally, on our plates. So, as you gather around the table with the people you love this National Day, let us raise a toast to the homegrown heroes who keep Singapore's culinary story exciting, world-class and unmistakably our own.
Here's to the next 61 years (and beyond) — and the local talents who'll keep us hungry for them. Happy Birthday, Singapore!
