Homemade and Hearty
By Melissa Loovi
Clichéd as it may be, it really does begin with just a simple dream. One afternoon, a bored nine-year old boy opened up a cookbook and baked a yummy carrot cake. Simply, it was received warmly and Benjamin Yong realised that food was his passion in life.
Naturally, it takes more than love to go from a home-baked cake to being CEO of an ever-growing chain of restaurants and cafes. In fact, Yong actually considered graphic design because cooking didn’t seem like the best career choice. After all, who hasn’t heard the horror stories of budding foodies who invested all their savings in an F&B venture only to file for bankruptcy within a year? The food industry is notoriously challenging for all but those with the magic combination of talent, passion and sheer effort. Now backed by Eastern and Oriental (E&O) Group who own a 51 percent share in the company, the Delicious Group is enjoying a spurt of rapid expansions and it is all so much more than Ben Yong could ever have dreamed of. The DELIcious story is “a tale about having faith, and the right timing,” says Yong. Family friend Abby Leong returned from Hong Kong as a retiree; Benjamin was at a crossroad in his young life; his mother Helen Read of Ms. Read clothing stores simply believed. At first, the idea was just to set up a little tea house by the side of their, then, five-year-old retail shop.
They had a very clear vision of what they wanted. The lease was signed; the deposit paid and then the first round of costing for the setup and operations hit like a ton of bricks. The reality was scarily plain: they would have to sell over 100,000 sets of scones a month to remain in business. It became apparent that there was something wrong with their vision. So the journey began – they realised they had to find a head chef because it was unrealistic to do all the cooking on their own. The earlier vision quickly morphed into a new concept; a place that served good comfort food sans MSG; where real people could meet and greet without pretentious decadence. A destination with sense minus the dollars, making it affordable, because, when real sharing takes place, it does not exclude.
Today, their menu has evolved to include a proper dinner menu with an all-day breakfast on weekends. The goal is for DELIcious not just to be a pit stop for food but a destination for a total gastronomical experience. With its little sister D’lish, the take is similar but with an emphasis on convenience and portability. The café was designed to cater to busy workers who wanted fresh and satisfying gourmet food to go that was affordable and yummy. Patrons can also opt to dine-in with cosy seating and TVs to entertain solo diners. Everything from the quirky product labels to the fun and engaging website proves that this company sure knows just how to appeal to its target customers.