Interviews with PUTIEN, Promperu, One Farrer Hotel, Aalst Chocolate.
Looking at a 20-year-old brand through 28-year-old eyes, Fong Chak Ka, VP of Operations at PUTIEN reveals the simple truth behind his father’s legacy. By Esther Faith Lew
The special thing about PUTIEN is that it is, well, not special. PUTIEN does not place importance on being defined as such, although its simple focus on “fresh ingredients” and “authentic taste” has won accolades for the 20-year-old brand, Michelin star no less. It is a commitment that founder Fong Chi Chung has set in stone since the beginnings of PUTIEN as a coffee shop in Kitchener Road in 2000, and it looks like his eldest son Fong Chak Ka is staying true to its brand promise – and keeping home close to his heart.
“PUTIEN is about home-cooked food. It’s just simply that. Food that is unpretentious, simple and pure. Many families do not have time for home-cooked dinners anymore, and we just want to provide a simple meal in a simple setting for friends and families to get together. It’s about comfort food in a comfortable venue at an affordable price so that families can keep coming back frequently for their dinners. And to a great extent, I see that happening. In fact, we have many regulars who used to dine at PUTIEN with their parents as children and have now come back with their own families,” shares 28-year-old Chak Ka, Vice-president of Operations.
Keeping it fresh and seasonal
There are no ‘new-gen’ vibes from Chak Ka at all, other than his casual jeans and sneakers attire, paired with a smart jacket for the photoshoot. In fact, the young man was conscientiously serving Chinese tea with practised moves throughout the interview, explaining that he loved tea for its healthy properties. His humble and grounded demeanour spoke volumes about an upbringing that was pretty much family-oriented but not stifling, with valuable exposure to the family business as a food taster and wait staff at 16 years old. Having graduated with a degree in business management from the University of California, his father put his knowledge and talents to good use by appointing him his current role just three years ago.
When asked how he intends to make PUTIEN more appealing to international markets as the group continues its expansion into new markets such as Japan and the US, Chak Ka shared that Putian cuisine is very accessible because the flavours are clean and simple, which allow fresh, premium ingredients to shine through. There aren’t complicated dishes with heavy spices and seasoning that make it difficult for international palates to accept. “Just as Japanese sashimi focuses on premium ingredients and makes them the hero, so too does Putian food. This similarity and association with good food will bridge multicultural differences. Besides sourcing for the best seasonal ingredients from Putian, a beautiful coastal suburb in Fujian, we also source local ingredients from whichever market we are in, so that diners will find even more familiar flavours and textures in our dishes,” says Chak Ka.
He adds that this was something his father believed in, and it paved the way for creating a strong Singapore association in their menus. “Our PUTIEN Spice Mum Chilli Sauce is a Nanyang-style chilli with seafood that is very similar in taste to sambal chilli, and is something Singaporeans can identify with regardless of the type of Chinese cuisine. It doesn’t matter if you are unfamiliar with the cuisine; the familiarity of a comfort ingredient will breach the gap. Similarly, this is how we intend to strengthen the brand’s positioning overseas. Regardless of the market we are in, we will find that local link to local tastes.”
Seasonal ingredients harvested directly from Putian are definitely a strong pull factor. In Singapore, PUTIEN’S seasonal food festivals highlighting Duo Tou clams in summer, juicy eels in autumn and Jiang Kou oysters in winter have proven to be immensely popular. Putian is also famous for its loquat, lychee, longan and pomelo, which are incorporated into dishes as well. “We are on a mission to try to source for more ingredients that we have not yet discovered. Currently, we focus a lot on seasonal ingredients as we are able to harvest them during the peak season when they are at their best quality,” says Chak Ka.
“We are on a mission to try to source for more ingredients that we have not yet discovered. Currently, we focus a lot on seasonal ingredients as we are able to harvest them during the peak season when they are at their best quality.” Fong Chak Ka, VP of Operations, PUTIEN
He also emphasised that they work directly with Putian fishermen, which enables them to contribute to the local community. “We believe that if we are benefiting from the ingredients, the fishermen should as well. So, we have helped to establish a system that helps them to be more productive in their farming methods, mainly in the processing facilities and transportation operations.”
Chak Ka’s emphasis on fresh ingredients is as steadfast as his father’s passion for providing great food and warm hospitality; it is not surprising to find the senior Fong walking about in his restaurant at Kitchener Road greeting guests and taking a hands-on approach to affairs.
“Our formula for PUTIEN is simple: 70 percent of our focus is on the ingredients and 30 percent is on the cooking techniques. This has guided PUTIEN in its brand journey and we will continue to stay true to it,” says Chak Ka. It is for this reason that quality ingredients take centre stage, not culinary innovation nor the individual achievements of any particular chef. It is about contributing as a team where everyone is welcome to suggest new ideas in its menus.
Creating a close community
The work culture at PUTIEN is a tight-knit one that fosters empowerment in decision-making and teamwork, where no particular individuals nor roles are considered to be more important than another. For instance, wait staff enjoy wages that are on par with that of kitchen staff, which is not an industry norm. Staff are also given opportunities to rotate their job scopes and roles in order to widen their exposure to various aspects of the restaurant business, and promoting internally is the preferred option instead of external hires.
Says Chak Ka, “Our managers have mainly worked their way up from scratch, even as a waiter, and that gives them a very strong sense of belonging and of being an important part of
“We believe that if we are benefiting from the ingredients, the fishermen should as well. So, we have helped to establish a system that helps them to be more productive in their farming methods, mainly in the processing facilities and transportation operations.”
the brand. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship that promotes positive reinforcement in self-development, career growth and brand loyalty.”
Walking into a PUTIEN restaurant, one gets a sense of pride and professionalism in the warm hospitality that is given; from the restaurant manager and wait staff to the kitchen staff. It is no surprise to learn from Chak Ka that high-performing outlet managers enjoy a remuneration that is even on par with that of hotel general managers.
“We promote an owner-operator model for grooming our outlet managers whereby they are responsible for making key financial and strategic decisions. With this autonomy, they also have the freedom to decide how they want to take care of their customers. On our part, we provide the support that they need to move the brand forward and to set new benchmarks,” says Chak Ka. “I’ve made it a point to emphasise to them that they are in charge. Even when I step into an outlet, it is to dine in as a guest and to enjoy a meal.”
While Chak Ka has kept true to PUTIEN’S DNA and worked towards upholding the foundation that has been so carefully built up by his father over the decades, he has put his own spin on things to keep the brand modern and relatable to a multigenerational market. Service training and nurturing a multiracial and multicultural mindset are the twin pillars he believes to be key in PUTIEN’S expansion into international markets.
“Moving forward, it is important that we break out of our Chinese culture to embrace other Asian and Western mindsets as well. We try to cultivate the use of English in our communication, and we encourage cross-learning where possible. For example, we organised our annual staff tour to Japan because we are going into that market and we want our staff to understand the culture.” He added that training wait staff in customer relations and product knowledge in the dishes being served will raise the bar in providing a more sophisticated approach that will enhance the dining experience.
Chak Ka will have his hands full as PUTIEN pushes ahead to add on to its over 70 outlets in 11 cities around the world, with two more joining the local market in Marina Bay Sands and Westgate. He is also ready to roll out operational plans in Japan this year, and perhaps for him, the diamond in the making will be entering the US market, which is something dear to his heart. Having studied in California, he is enthusiastic in creating a vibrant brand that will appeal to trend-setting Californians. Perhaps pairing PUTIEN dishes with Californian wines will prove to be a marriage in the making.
“Our managers have mainly worked their way up from scratch, even as a waiter, and that gives them a very strong sense of belonging and of being an important part of the brand. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship that promotes positive reinforcement in self-development, career growth and brand loyalty.”