Fine-Dining Restaurant Chef Became Hawker To Build His ‘Own Dream’ Instead Of ‘Other People’s’
"My mum was retrenched when I was young. That experience taught me that I never want to face job insecurity," shares the 30-year-old behind Cha Mulan. He sells wholesome teas with Cantonese dessert elements like peach gum and poached pears. A customer loved it so much, he invested in the biz and they now have four outlets, with another opening at Jewel Changi Airport.
At prettily designed stall Cha Mulan in Bedok Food Centre and Market, former fine-dining restaurant chef Kenneth Teo, 30, hawks wholesome Chinese tea drinks.
While it’s served in cute cups reminiscent of those from bubble tea shops, this isn’t your typical bubble tea – there are no tapioca pearls or popping boba here. Instead, think of it as tong shui (Cantonese-style soupy desserts) with TCM benefits plus tea in a cup, offering a similar sip-and-chew experience with nourishing ingredients like goji berries, peach gum, poached pears and snow fungus. But like bubble tea, the sugar level here is customisable.
Kenneth is a culinary school grad (he declined to name the school) who worked at establishments like one-Michelin-starred mod Korean restaurant NAE:UM and award-winning NEL Restaurant in Sydney, for about five years.
"I like the Disney character Mulan," Kenneth shares, referring to his stall’s name which was inspired by Chinese folk heroine Hua Mulan. "I envision my company to be like her: aesthetic, but also very strong in nature."
Ed's note: The headline has been updated to reflect information disclosed after this article was published.
No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from 8days.sg.
Despite thriving in fine-dining, Kenneth's perspective shifted later. "Hawker centre culture has always excited me," he explains. Perhaps the fact that Kenneth's grandfather used to operate a yong tau foo stall in Bedok North, Ah Joo Handmade Fish Ball, now run by his uncles, also helped motivate him to become a hawker. He used to help make fish balls and yong tau foo at the stall when he was in school. "Hawkers are the heart and soul of Singapore's culinary heritage," he adds.
Wants to be his own boss, spooked by mum’s retrenchment in the past
Inspired by his girlfriend's love for bubble tea, Kenneth wanted to create a healthier alternative, which sparked Cha Mulan’s concept. "These aren't your typical pearls," he explains. "We use peach gum – a natural collagen that grows in peach trees. It's well absorbed by our bodies, and kids love the texture."
His career change was also driven by practical concerns. "My mum was retrenched when I was young. That experience taught me that I never want to face job insecurity," Kenneth shares. "Building other people's dreams is never a long-term goal. Building your own dream is always the end goal."
"The Singapore government encourages entrepreneurship, and there are grants available. The hawker community has a true kampong spirit – everyone is willing to try new things and support each other."
In October 2024, Kenneth opened his first stall at Bedok Food Centre and Market, originally called "The Flower Mulan."
A chance encounter would soon transform his solo venture into a far more ambitious partnership.
Accidental partnership and stall expansion
Enter Kenneth’s business partner, the marketing savvy Josiah Tan, 33. "I was having kway chap at Bedok Food Centre when I saw an uncle take a drink sample from Kenneth's stall. Within 10 seconds, without even checking the price, the uncle said, 'gei wo yi bei' [give me one cup in mandarin]," recalls Josiah. Intrigued, he tried a sample himself and was won over.
The SMU business management and marketing graduate launched a business consulting firm focused on helping SMEs grow in his second year of university and ran it for almost a decade. He has since stepped back from that business, which his partner continues to run.
Why the pivot to owning a hawker brand? Josiah says his grandparents used to run a chicken rice stall, working gruelling hours in sweltering heat.
"My grandmother would turn to neighbouring stalls for a cup of Coke to seek relief from the intense heat," Josiah recalls. "By 38, she developed diabetes. Back then, people didn't understand the long-term implications of these seemingly harmless daily habits."
Her condition progressively worsened, leading to two amputations. "Her soul and zest for life were sucked out because of diabetes," he says softly.
"What if, 40 or 50 years ago, the stall behind hers wasn't selling sugary drinks, but a healthier alternative like our tea where you can control sugar levels? That's one of the biggest reasons I'm doing this," Josiah emphasises. "Beyond just making money, we want to provide drinks that can contribute to people's well-being."
Two weeks to form business ‘marriage’
Josiah reached out to Kenneth via Instagram and met him four days after first sipping his drinks. "Our values are aligned. I was the one chasing him," Josiah laughs. "It took about two weeks to chase him, and then we got married together business-wise, which was much faster than me chasing my wife!"
Josiah invested a "sizeable amount" from his savings to join the business, though he's reluctant to reveal exactly how much. "Enough to go on many, many holidays," he quips. With his marketing background, he helped repackage and rebrand the concept, tweaking the brand to a catchier "Cha Mulan", and creating product names, while Kenneth focuses on the recipes.
Tong shui in a cup
Prices range from $4.90 to $5.90 a cup, with eight base ingredients to choose from. For example, there’s the Cleanse Mulan, which comes with poached pear and silky snow fungus.
The pear is simmered with lemon and ginger for over eight hours – an old-school remedy for respiratory issues like coughs and colds inspired by Kenneth’s grandparents’ recipe.
"The Cleanse Mulan is my mum's personal favourite," Josiah laughs. "She has trouble with constipation. After she drank that, wah, qing qing (smooth in mandarin)!"
After selecting a base, customers can choose from three teas: Artisan White Peach Oolong, Artisan Osmanthus Oolong, or the Artisan Tea of the Day – all brewed on-site using tea leaves from China. Next comes the option to customise sugar levels, which range from 0 to 100 percent (they recommend 50 percent), followed by a choice of ice levels to suit your preference.
Opening shop at Jewel Changi airport soon
Since opening the first stall in October 2024 at Bedok Hawker Centre, Cha Mulan has already expanded to Chinatown Complex Food Centre, Marine Parade and Bukit Merah.
While the business is growing steadily, Josiah admits they haven't broken even on their initial investment yet.
He clarifies that while they are sole brand owners of Cha Mulan, they aren’t direct owners of all the outlets. Instead, he says they partner with stall owners who run the various outlets under the Cha Mulan name.
"Our goal is to bring Cha Mulan to as many people as possible – across Asia, including Malaysia and China," he boldly declares, adding that they are open to franchising.
Cha Mulan is opening two more outlets within the next few months, this time beyond hawker centres: a standalone shop in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, and more impressively, a kiosk at Jewel Changi Airport in July.
"This isn't just a business," Josiah emphasises. "It's a mission inspired by a deeply personal family story."
Cha Mulan currently has four outlets, including #02-124 Chinatown Complex Food Centre, 335 Smith St, S050335. Open daily from 10am to 7.30pm. More info via Instagram & Tiktok.
No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from 8days.sg.
8days.sg is now on #tiktok! Follow us on www.tiktok.com/@8dayseat
