Pro Boxer & Chef, 26, Sells Japanese Rice Bowls With Texan BBQ Meats At No-Frills Balestier Eatery
The young chef uses a $19K wood smoker for fusion dishes like $15.90 BBQ beef Japanese curry rice.
Opened two months ago in Balestier Plaza, Kemuri BBQ looks like an unlikely tenant among the lighting shops, interior design offices and maid agencies in the sleepy mall with an ’80s vibe. Perhaps to fit in, the signage for Kemuri BBQ is retro-looking as well – sporting the eatery’s name and Japanese logo (Kemuri means ‘smoke’ in Japanese) in black and white.
Despite its branding, this is not a purely Japanese joint. The nondescript 14-seater is a smokehouse that serves classic Texan barbecue fare like brisket, short rib, plus pulled pork, and of course, Japanese-influenced dishes like rice bowls featuring the signature smoked meats.
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Kemuri BBQ is helmed by pro boxer Davis Ng, 26, who boasts 11 years of experience in the sport. He now brings his razor-sharp focus and tenacity honed from boxing into an equally intense venture: time-consuming, tricky-to-control Texan barbecue. He first learned about this cooking style, which involves smoking meats “low and slow” over wood fire, from his food business management degree course at The Culinary Institute of America’s Singapore campus.
Intrigued, the Gen Z-er experimented with smoking bacon at home and his growing passion led him to a six-month apprenticeship at a famous barbecue joint in Texas last year (more on that later). In October, Davis realised his dream and opened Kemuri BBQ at Balestier Plaza.
Even though he started off with a home-based biz, Davis has always wanted to open a physical joint where customers can enjoy freshly-smoked meats. “American barbecue is too niche, so when I was planning the menu, I felt like I had to add some Asian influence to cater to Singaporean palates. That’s how I came up with combining donburis with barbecue,” he explains.
However, Kemuri BBQ isn’t restricted to Texan and Japanese cuisine. Its newest menu item is gumbo, a hearty stew that originated in Louisiana. The addition was inspired by the chef’s trip to New Orleans last year. As a twist, Davis prepares the stew with his smoked meats.
“I’m just experimenting right now. After Chinese New Year, I’ll focus more on Southern American food,” he tells 8days.sg. Shrugging off concerns that his large rotating menu, featuring varied cuisines, may be confusing for customers, he says: “Our signature donburis will always remain on the menu.”
Davis says he picked the Balestier location due to its proximity to his family home in Toa Payoh. "Reservations for dinner are a must since we’re a small place,” he adds.
Apprenticed at top BBQ joint in Texas
Last year, Davis spent six months apprenticing at LeRoy & Lewis Barbecue – an Austin-based food truck that snagged the fifth spot on Texas Monthly’s best barbecue restaurants of the state list in 2021.
The brawny pitmaster says he was the second Singaporean to train at the renowned spot: “Before me, they had Mao (Chia Jue Mao aka the chef of now-defunct Texan ‘cue joint S’Mao at the Les Amis-owned Cluny Food Court) who was my CIA senior. He was such a pleasant guy that they were excited to take on another Singaporean.” Interestingly, we hear that Jue Mao is currently back in Austin to help LeRoy & Lewis Barbecue set up a new restaurant.
Davis describes his experience as “eye-opening”. “Before I went to Texas, I just thought I'll throw in some wood and hope for the best,” he quips. “There, I learned that it’s not like just turning on a stove, you know? You have to be in control of the fire, as well as everything that is going on. I think I love it so much because ever since I was young, I liked playing with fire.”
Traded in boxing gloves for brisket – for now
Despite his newfound love for smoking meats, it’s clear that the pitmaster isn’t ready to give up on his other passion – boxing. “I joined boxing as a CCA when I was at St Andrew’s [Secondary School] and I went pro at 21,” he shares.
The super middleweight boxer’s most recent match was a KBX fight against an Indonesian opponent, which took place in September. “I was losing for the previous five rounds, my nose had been bleeding since the second round and I had the flu so I couldn’t breathe well. Everyone, including my coach, thought I was going to lose before I won the sixth round by knock-out. That’s the magic of boxing, you’ll never know what’s going to happen.”
Davis is currently on hiatus to focus on running his new eatery: “There’s just no time to train right now, I used to do it six days a week. My coach is waiting for me to get a part-timer so I can go back to the gym and start training again.”
In the long run, however, Davis shares that he is committed to establishing his barbecue biz. “Unless I become a coach or teach at the gym, boxing is not a viable career option in Singapore,” he states.
Supportive parents invested over $140K in biz
Though Davis is currently the sole pitmaster and chef at the joint, he gets occasional help from his parents, both in their early fifties, who have invested “over $140K” into their only child’s food venture since he launched the HBB in 2021. His dad Danny, an IT professional, is the “handyman” of the shop. “He calls me to fix everything from lighting to cabinets,” he says cheekily. Meanwhile, Jennifer, who works in a shipping company, enthusiastically engages customers with menu suggestions.
Davis’ parents wholeheartedly support his passions – whether it’s boxing or running a smokehouse. “At first, I didn’t allow him to join boxing [as a CCA] because it’s too dangerous. To his credit, he listened to me. When I saw how he was still passionate about it a few years later, I finally said ok,” shares Jennifer.
Danny echoes the sentiment: “I told him, whatever he chooses to do, he must make sure that he’s the best. If he wants to box, then he must train and compete. It’s the same [for managing the eatery].”
“I’m thankful for their unwavering support and sacrifices. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their love and patience,” says the young entrepreneur, who sweetly describes his parents as his “pillars of strength”.
Meet Rocky, the $19K custom-built smoker
“This is my baby,” says the pitmaster, who named his smoker after the iconic fictional boxer played by Sylvester Stallone. Crafted by a Singaporean pitbuilder, Davis customised the offset rig according to his specifications for “usage of space and fuel consumption”. The 600kg behemoth costs him around $19K and is fully fuelled by a firebox on the side, stoked from charcoal and post oak (the preferred wood for Texan ’cue).
Also runs an online smoked meat biz
Prior to setting up Kemuri BBQ, Davis has been selling smoked meats like house-cured bacon, ham and brisket through his online biz, BaconKing (a reference to his boxing nickname, The King). With his new physical joint, customers can now pick up orders at the shop, or explore the offerings displayed in the in-store fridge.
Smoked Brisket Donburi, $17.90
Sliced thick, the USDA choice brisket (a grade which has less fatty marbling than the more premium Prime grade beef) is smoked for 14 hours and is reasonably tender, though we found the leaner cuts dry. Sides like kimchi, corn and pickled daikon provide a refreshing balance to the meat’s peppery bark and robust smokiness, while an onsen egg adds a pleasant texture variation to the fluffy Japanese pearl rice. Pretty hearty, but we prefer the better-executed flavours of the curry bowl below.
Smoked Beef Curry Rice, $15.90
An unexpectedly tasty pairing of smoked brisket chunks with Japanese curry. Trimmings are cooked into the gravy, which lends depth to the thick, rich and slightly sweet curry. The brisket is a little more moist here (though still quite dry in parts) – perhaps due to being doused in curry. Finished with generous chunks of carrot and potato, this is a hearty bowl of Japanese curry rice with a smoky kick.
Chicken & Sausage Gumbo, $15.90 (8 DAYS Pick!)
Instead of the traditional seafood toppings like prawns, Davis has created his own meaty take on the Louisianan stew, by combining bell pepper, onion and celery with smoked sausage, chicken, ham and other trimmings. Deeply aromatic, rich and smoky, this okra-thickened stew, served with rice, is a comforting delight.
Texas Trio, $60; feeds 2 pax
We were most excited to sample the eight-hour smoked beef cheeks, a LeRoy & Lewis signature, but were let down by the overly salty and rather dry meat. “The cheeks are smaller than brisket, which makes it much trickier to get the seasoning ratio right,” explains Davis after hearing our feedback. Similarly, the pulled pork was also a bit too salty and dry. The short rib was the best of the bunch, with equal parts smoky and juicy, beefy flavour.
Thick-Cut Bacon, $13 (8 DAYS Pick!)
A lovely departure from crispy and charred bacon, this thick slab of house-smoked fat-veined pork remains impressively tender while boasting a woodsy aroma and warm spicy notes from the house-curing. Tasty enough to enjoy on its own.
Sweet Potato Cornbread, $13
Davis puts a spin on traditional cornbread by substituting the golden grains with sweet potato, resulting in a buttery and moist quick bread. Paired with creamy Kagoshima sweet potato gelato, this is an indulgent dessert to round off your meal.
Bottom line
We quite enjoyed Kemuri BBQ’s inventive fusion dishes. The flavourful Japanese curry bowl and Louisiana gumbo with a Texan twist, in particular, showcased smoked meats in a fun and creative way. That being said, the young chef needs more time to hone his barbecue skills to get his meats consistently cooked and tender as the quality varies. We'll be back once he irons out his opening kinks.
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