00:00In 2000, Fong Chichun opened an eatery serving food-gen cuisine in Singapore's Kitchen and Road.
00:26Twenty-five years later, his restaurant chain Putian has become an international brand.
00:33Along the way, the Kitchen and Road restaurant was awarded one Michelin star.
00:38I'm Sumi Gutan from The Straits Times.
00:40I'm having lunch with Mr Fong and his two sons Chuck Ka and Chuck Wai, who are in the family business.
00:47We're meeting not at Putian, but Sam Leong Street Chicken Rice.
00:51The eatery holds special meaning for the family.
00:54When they first moved to Singapore, they often ate at the chicken rice stall.
00:59Mr Fong soon became friends with the hawker, and when the hawker retired and later passed away,
01:04the Putian group took over the business.
01:07Mr Fong, we're at the Sam Leong Street Chicken Rice.
01:12Why did you choose this place at lunch?
01:14Mr Fong, we're at Sam Leong Street Chicken Rice.
01:16Why did you choose this place at lunch?
01:18They even like the first place at the time.
01:19They like the Korean rice stall.
01:20They even like the Korean rice stall.
01:22They like the Korean rice stall.
01:23And they like the Korean rice stall.
01:24This is the first place.
01:25The second place, I also think that there's a story.
01:29Because my home house is in Kitchen and Road.
01:31They're near here.
01:33Our work is done.
01:35It's a lot of work.
01:37It's about three hours later.
01:39I'll come to the restaurant and eat the Korean rice stall.
01:41So I met Uncle Hen very soon.
01:44So I accepted his business.
01:46What has been the pros and cons or the ups and downs of doing business in Singapore?
01:51You have to be very careful to do things.
01:53Because the customers have a memory.
01:56If you don't have to admit it,
01:58or if you don't want them to miss anything,
02:01it will take a while.
02:03The Singaporeans are very easily affected.
02:07If you're good for them,
02:08they're willing to bring more friends to support your business.
02:12I think this is the best place.
02:16Of course, there are a lot of things that I think is not bad.
02:20If I really think the market is not bad,
02:21I think the market change is a little bit.
02:23The market change is a little bit.
02:27China is now very fast.
02:29Even if you're in Singapore,
02:30you don't know the world of the world.
02:33You just do your own things.
02:35You think that you can do it.
02:36If you're in Singapore,
02:37I can do it.
02:38But when you go to China,
02:40you can't sleep,
02:41you don't know the way back.
02:42You don't want to die.
02:43You can't do it.
02:44You can't do it.
02:45You can't do it.
02:46You have two cents in the business.
02:48How did this come from?
02:50They were in the shop at the store.
02:53They were just at a party time.
02:54They kept waiting for the time.
02:55They were still waiting for the time.
02:57They were waiting for the time.
02:59They were waiting for the store.
03:00Because the store is not bad.
03:01I said,
03:02you know,
03:03the store is in the store.
03:04Was it always your intention to join your dad?
03:08No, I think it just happened quite naturally.
03:11It all started, when we started earning our part-time money,
03:13there's no empathy or sympathy or whatever.
03:16I think it's just quite realistic that, you know,
03:19when you earn $5 an hour, you work 10 hours, you get $50.
03:22Was that also your motivation?
03:24Partially, yes, because actually I don't spend a lot.
03:27So at some point, actually, I was reluctant to go work
03:33because I have a lot of money already.
03:35He doesn't spend, so I spend his money.
03:37Yeah, but because we have a very close relationship
03:40with the colleagues in the restaurant,
03:42actually, it's not like my dad asked me to come here and work.
03:46It's like they ask us any help.
03:47They approach us and we go and help them.
03:51So the money is just along the way.
03:54What is his vision for Poutain for the next 25 years?
03:58My dream of the past is to bring Poutain to the world.
04:01What is it about Poutain food that makes it so popular all these years?
04:22I think it's mostly about food.
04:25For any food we don't have to say,
04:28Oh, it's a little bit.
04:30Just like we're making a辣 momma of the辣椒.
04:33Many people say that with the辣椒,
04:35it's a little bit of a辣椒.
04:36You can buy a little bit of a辣椒.
04:38You can buy a little bit of a辣椒.
04:41I said it's not.
04:42I'm not sure.
04:43I still want to choose the most新鮮,
04:46the most新鮮辣椒.
04:48It's a little bit of a辣椒.
04:49It's a little bit of a辣椒.
04:50But it's a little bit of a辣椒.
04:53I think I'm very proud to choose the food.
04:58What's your favorite dish every day?
05:00Loo Mian.
05:01Loo Mian.
05:02For me, Loo Mian as well.
05:04For me, it's Tsafen.
05:06I think he's been in Singapore for so many years already.
05:09Does he ever have any regrets about coming here at all?
05:12No, no, no.
05:14I don't want to consider it.
05:16I think it's a good idea.
05:18I've been here for 20 years.
05:21I don't regret doing a restaurant.
05:23I think the restaurant is hard.
05:25It's hard.
05:26But I still don't regret it.
05:28I think you're doing well,
05:30you're going to be very happy.
05:31Oh, my boss,
05:32your food is good.
05:33I think I'm good.
05:36I think it's such a good idea.
05:37I don't regret it.
05:38I don't regret it.
05:39Okay, thank you for lunch.
05:42Whenever people meet me,
05:44they will tell the children,
05:45next time when you go up,
05:47be like professor.
05:48I will reply,
05:50I want you to be better than me.
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