“Defying the odds and stereotypes, these women chefs from Singapore are leading kitchen teams in Hong Kong’s competitive F&B industry and carving out a niche for themselves. Chef Theign Phan, 43, heads up the Grand Majestic Sichuan restaurant in Hong Kong, commanding a Chinese kitchen of men with heavy woks. She shared, “In spite of physical limitations, I find solutions on how to make it work. I can’t carry the massive stock pot on my own, so I ladle the stock in steps, or I use a smaller wok and fry in several batches instead of using a big one, mastering consistency.”
Eunice Lau, chef-owner of Dough Beings, credits collaboration to overcome the physical challenges, highlighting the efficiency brought about by teamwork. She said, “I mix my cream in an industrial-sized 40L mixer. We are a bunch of women and teamwork makes us efficient. We’ve had our fair share of obstacles starting from construction to running an industrial kitchen. We drew our floor plan and role-played the entire process before designing our kitchen ourselves!”
Dough Beings, the brainchild of entrepreneur sisters Eunice and Esther Lau, stands out for creating deliciously fun creations and embodying a holistic approach to their craft. Eunice, who did her professional training in two Michelin-starred Taillevant in Paris and worked with acclaimed chefs, shared, “We both come from a visual arts background, and we love experiments and making all our ingredients from scratch. I started my ‘mother yeast’ from my liquid sourdough, and it has been growing for five years now. We are balancing lactic and acetic acid right now, it’s an ongoing science project for us.”
Astoria Koh, rose through the ranks with relentless hard work to lead the pastry team at three-Michelin-starred Caprice Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel in Hong Kong. Koh emphasized her passion for the hands-on nature of her work, stating, “I love the hands-on nature of the work and find it incredibly satisfying to see finished products from raw ingredients.”
Phan, an old Rafflesian with a degree in journalism, credited her ex-principal Mrs. Carmee Lim at Raffles Girls School for instilling progressive thinking. She mentioned, “All of us were taught the world was one of equal opportunities, regardless of gender. You can do whatever you want, just make sure you do it well.”
Reflecting on her career, Koh expressed, “Frankly, I never thought about my gender in my career, or how it has limitations. I have been very lucky to work with chefs who focus on the quality of my work, not my gender. I’ve always been treated as an equal in the kitchen. My chef is constantly pushing me to take the reins, to get comfortable expressing myself in the kitchen and through my desserts.”
These women are passionate about honing and perfecting their crafts, finding creative and fun ways to continue their growth trajectory. Phan added, “Using a wok is about technique, we shouldn’t use brute strength with a wok. If I’m tired, I hold the wok to my waist while I scoop so it acts as a lever. We don’t always have to do it like the boys, we can do it our way, and even do it better.”
It is inspiring to witness the remarkable journeys of these Singaporean women chefs thriving in Hong Kong’s competitive culinary scene, challenging stereotypes, and showcasing their exceptional talent and perseverance. Their stories serve as a testament to breaking barriers and changing the narrative within the culinary industry.
