The Singaporean with the global restaurant empire – just not for nudists
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The Singaporean with the global eatery empire – just not for nudists
Restaurateur and hotelier Loh Lik Peng is open to good ideas that aren't "lazy". Just keep your clothes on and don't mention burgers.
Loh Lik Peng in the Dining Room at Straits Clan, where he says he plays the part of "landlord". (Photograph: Mark Lee)
06 Aug 2022 06:30AM (Updated: x Jul 2022 02:33AM)
In the Singapore dining scene, where consumer options grow and restaurants open up and shut similar automatic doors, Loh Lik Peng has remained cavalierly buoyant for the last 15 years, with restaurants like Burnt Ends, Pollen, Majestic, Salted & Hung, Meatsmith and Zen all nether his Unlisted Collection umbrella.
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And it's non just here that the multi-hyphenate has opened much-hyped, award-winning restaurants and hotels – he'southward also flight the Singapore flag loftier in London, Sydney and Dublin, with acclaimed properties in heritage buildings.
His arroyo to coming upwardly with winning concepts is at once piece of cake and difficult: He believes you're limited just by your imagination.
"There's no such matter every bit a saturated market. People who say that are just lazy. Considering they are thinking of the same concept that everyone else is doing," the 47-year-old declared.
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And then, if you're thinking of opening a burger restaurant, for instance, don't go to Loh with your idea – even if you've managed to create the best burger in the globe.
"I get proposals for hamburgers all the time. Even if it's the best hamburger, I'thousand just not interested," he said. "Considering anybody has their own version of what their favourite hamburger is… Nobody can ever agree. Information technology's just not a field I experience I tin can make a difference in at all, in a place like Singapore."
And don't fifty-fifty get him started on cupcakes, his other pet peeve. "At ane stage, everyone was opening a cupcake restaurant. And I was like, 'Why do we need more cupcakes? I could train a fifteen-year-old to do great cupcakes.' Information technology's just not very original."
That's why each of the chefs he works with, whether information technology's Rishi Naleendra serving up modern European dishes with Sri Lankan touches at Cloudstreet or Ivan Brehm using regional ingredients to arts and crafts Brazilian plates at Nouri, has a singular perspective on nutrient, occupying a unique niche in the restaurant scene.
With that in heed, information technology's logical that each restaurant enjoys its own unique branding and positioning, even if all are quietly sheltered under Unlisted Collection'southward umbrella.
Just just when Loh has made you feel like the heaven'southward the limit and all you need is a great new idea in order to succeed, you're reminded that everything he does is always underpinned by solid concern sense.
"I was approached to do a nudist kind of hotel matter in Brazil," he shared, with a chuckle. "Which I was quite interested in – I thought it was quite funny – merely I just don't remember I'1000 the right person to run it. Get-go of all, Brazil's very far abroad. For another affair, I'1000 in no shape to run a nudist resort. Peradventure when I was 25, I might have considered information technology. But it was an interesting idea. I really think it will piece of work. And nobody's done it yet. It was supposed to exist a dorsum-to-nature sort of thing where they did a lot of veganism and spirituality." Still, "You could probably find yourself in a lot of trouble doing stuff similar that. How would you market a nudist resort? Those sorts of concepts are a really practiced idea, but to pull them off would be very, very difficult."
In many means, the married begetter of ii young children is a past-the-book kind of guy. When it comes to expanding his business into other parts of the world, for instance, "I am selective. I tend to exist in key gateway cities where rule of law, regulations and business organization-friendliness are ranked pretty high. I'one thousand not in many emerging markets for that reason… I'chiliad always confronted with this strange feeling that in that location's something under the tabular array that you have to practice, or some manoeuvre that might not be completely above-lath, and I'd rather non get involved. My gut tells me information technology'due south not the correct project."
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EGO TRIPPING CHEFS Need NOT Apply
Loh seems to be lucky in that his gut isn't that far off from his head. It's likewise the case when information technology comes to which chefs he chooses to open up restaurants with.
"The kickoff criteria I put great store by is keen chemistry with the chefs," he said. "Because this is such a tough business concern, it'due south such a volatile sort of thing, that if yous don't get on well with your chefs, then forget about information technology. Don't start anything with them."
The power to cook great nutrient is nigh secondary, information technology would seem. Rather, "it'southward e'er about making certain that you understand the personality of the chefs and that they're not in it but to accept an ego trip about their kind of food, but are able to retrieve through the steps needed to brand the business concern successful, and also to be able to manage a large complex squad," he said. "Sometimes people with very good CVs will mention Michelin stars or 50 All-time as the beginning thing, and I more often than not will switch off, because then I know they don't have the right motivation. Y'all tin sniff out an ego trip when they drop something about 50 All-time somewhere in the conversation."
There are as well chefs who accept anger issues and aren't able to handle pressure well. "Usually, those are non the ones who are going to succeed, particularly in today's environment."
And at other times, "You lot meet these young chefs who talk about artistic vision and that's all they know, and usually that's a disaster," he continued. "The creative side is of import because information technology'due south what makes you special and different – but at the cease of the day, people have got to relish your nutrient and come and pay for information technology. And if they don't, then you're going to be out of business organisation very before long."
Does he call up so many restaurants run into early ends because most people don't really know what they're doing? "Yes. Most of them have no clue what it takes to run a restaurant. And the barriers to entry aren't very high, and then most people sort of merely rush in. You don't need any special qualifications to call yourself a restaurateur. So, lots of people try. The vast bulk of them neglect – and fail at the commencement hurdle. I come across a lot of it."
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FOLLOW YOUR GUT, Not Simply YOUR Stomach
So, does his success boil downwards to the force of his gut – in other words, expert judgment, especially when it comes to sizing people upward?
"I think in full general, I take a pretty good gut feel for people, yeah. I experience that my people radar is generally pretty switched on in terms of whether someone's trustworthy," he assented. "Beingness able to get people to trust you, being able to know who to trust, existence able to build relationships – I think that's probably the most important part of building, maintaining and running a business."
Information technology helps to accept empathy, added Loh, who'due south also chairman of Schoolhouse of the Arts Singapore (SOTA), the Asian Civilisations Museum and Shatec. "I do endeavour and look at people'due south best qualities. So for me it's really about making sure yous're able to polish the gem a footling bit more if you feel someone has the potential, rather than pointing out their shortcomings."
That's non to say he hasn't had failures. Take Sorrel, for instance, which opened in 2022 and closed within a year.
"I was very sold on the romantic idea of a young, 100 per cent Singapore team. It didn't work because I think the squad was too young – they were non mature plenty to realise what it takes to run a eatery (and) what it takes to actually brand sure you're doing something your customers want and are supportive of," he shared. "Sometimes these immature chefs have a very romantic notion of what they desire to do… Customers intendance first and foremost about whether the food is tasty, the concept works for them and the service is actually good."
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Loh's firm grasp on the concern of running restaurants allows the chefs he works with the freedom to be creative, and in that sense, y'all could recollect of him as a major enabler in the dining scene.
Of course, "Nosotros have an agreed set of goals at the start. Y'all say, 'Yous're setting upward this business, attempt and make certain it makes money. Don't brand information technology into a deep hole that becomes unfillable'," he said. Only "autonomously from that, really, they run the prove. We merely make sure that we support them as best every bit we tin with accounting, human resource, financing – the nuts and bolts of building the business concern.
"What I practice is make certain the chefs accept the tools to make the business work for them. I am non a day-to-24-hour interval director. I would say I am a relationship builder. For me, information technology's really about the trust and the chemistry. Considering of the nature of how we work, nosotros imbue a lot of trust in that human relationship and nosotros give a lot of autonomy to our chefs. And that really ways letting go."
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Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/dining/kitchen-stories-loh-lik-peng-250846
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