Andie Chen & Bro Invest 7-Digit Sum Into Firm Behind Creative Eateries Takeover
Andie Chen (right in pic above) wears many hats. Actor, film producer, content creator, entrepreneur — and now you can add restaurateur to the list.
The 40-year-old has teamed up once again with his brothers, serial entrepreneur Adam Tan (left in pic above), 37, and banker Ash Chen, 41, for what might be their most ambitious project yet.
They are part of Asia White Knight Group, an investment firm specialising in the franchise sector that Adam co-founded in 2023. The company announced on November 17 the acquisition of Creative Eateries, one of Singapore’s most established F&B groups.
Founded in 1992 by restaurateur Anthony Wong, the three-decade-old dining group is behind 13 household brands like Bangkok Jam, Suki-Ya and Tanglin Cookhouse, as well as a catering arm. His daughter Bonnie Wong, 36, who took over as CEO in 2023, will remain as director for a year to oversee a smooth transition and ensure business continuity.
The brothers declined to disclose the acquisition price, saying they wanted to be “very respectful to a legacy that Anthony has built over the years.”
The deal sees Adam, who has over two decades of experience across diverse startups such as events marketplace Effro and metaverse company Freedom Nation, step in as CEO of Creative Eateries, with Andie taking on the role of Chief Marketing Officer.
It was Adam who approached Andie, who was also part of Effro and Freedom Nation, to join the team, and the idea made sense to him.
“I’ve been behind the scenes producing for about six years, producing short films, branded content, variety shows, and I enjoy being in the field and the process. But if there’s anything else I’m willing to spend my time on, it’s putting money and resources into the hands of capable and creative people,” Andie tells 8days.sg.
“So when he came to me, it was like another version of that. We’re just trying to do the back engine — get the resources, get the money — and then empower these creative and capable people.”
He will lead the marketing department and help shape the company’s overall direction.
“I have a deep understanding of the marketing landscape and how to run a small creative team — that’s what I’ve been doing for years,” says Andie. “So I’ll be focused on that, while also looking at the company from a macro level and discussing decisions with my brothers.”
This acquisition marks White Knight's first full-scale entry into the restaurant group space, expanding its footprint beyond its existing six Joe & Dough outlets, which the company began franchising in 2024.
The entire Creative Eateries team of 250 employees across 13 brands and 19 outlets will be retained.
Siblings invested own money into venture
Acquiring a major restaurant group doesn’t come cheap. Between Adam and Andie, they invested a seven-digit sum in White Knight.
“We also have a small handful of investors, but we did put in a substantial amount ourselves,” says Andie. “It’s make or break, very tight.”
He adds that the decision to invest their own funds was also a show of commitment to their backers and that they had “skin in the game”. At the moment, Andie says he’s drawing only “a token” salary.
Balancing acting and business
Despite his new role, Andie, who shuttles between Singapore and Taiwan where he’s based, insists acting remains his first love.
“My only condition [of taking on his new role] is that I’m still an actor, so when a project comes, we’ll need to work out a schedule and a way of functioning in the company that works,” shares Andie.
“Time-wise, most of my time is with Creative Eateries.”
He plans to be selective with roles but doesn’t see himself taking on fewer than one or two projects a year.
Still, his day-to-day involvement with Creative Eateries has turned out to be more hands-on than expected.
“So far, a lot more than I had signed up for,” he laughs. Adam chimes in: “Yeah, you hook and then drag him in — too late to back out already.”
Working together as siblings isn’t always smooth sailing, but the brothers have found their rhythm — and their own brand of honesty.
“It’s ruthless,” Adam says with a laugh.
“We know each other so well. Sometimes when you work with people, there’s always a consideration of how you might be emotionally charged. But among us, we know everything we say is from love. We might fight, we might have arguments, even vulgarities — but at the end of the day, it’s all love. We’re very aligned on the goal we’re achieving.”
Andie agrees: “There’s no sugar-coating whatsoever. We just call each other out — including myself — and sometimes it’s very uncomfortable. But we know we need to get this done.”
Why F&B and why now?
The move into F&B might seem risky. After all, the industry has been among the hardest hit in recent years — 2024 saw over 3,000 closures, the highest in nearly two decades.
But for Adam, the decision was calculated.
“White Knight started with the idea of optimising the back engine of a business. That’s where I’m good at — finding gaps and fixing them,” shares Adam. The team initially explored education, fitness and wellness before choosing F&B as the most accessible space to test their model.
“The F&B market has moved so much, and when there's transition, there's opportunity,” says Adam, adding that there is a space for people like him who specialise in the optimisation of operations and processes, to come in and shake things up.
How the Creative Eateries deal came about
White Knight’s first foray into F&B was through coffee chain Joe & Dough, where the company took on several franchise outlets in 2024 — a “proof of concept” for their operations-first model.
The leap to acquiring Creative Eateries, however, began by chance.
“Creative Eateries had already completed a successful exit in Malaysia and were considering their next move in Singapore,” Adam recalls. “Their M&A consultant happened to meet me at an event. After a few conversations, she said, ‘Adam, I think you might be the right person Anthony’s looking for.’ That’s how it started.”
The partnership was built on shared values that combines White Knight's strength in systems optimisation with Creative Eateries' passion for creative dining experiences.
White Knight plans to revitalise F&B heritage brands through “data-driven insights, operational excellence, and a culture of empowerment”.
Its three-phase growth plan aims to optimise operations, enhance customer loyalty, and nurture new culinary talent, with a goal of achieving $100 million in annual revenue within five years.
To mark the acquisition, the company has launched the “One Million Stamp Rally” promotion, a three-month promotion featuring a $1 million voucher giveaway.
Customers can collect stamps by dining at any three Creative Eateries restaurants and 50 per cent off their total bill in the form of vouchers. The promotion runs until February 13.
Photos: Creative Eateries
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