Ex-pastry chef's gourmet burger stall in Bukit Merah was designed by AI and inspired by Tesla's Cybertruck

CNA

5 days ago

Since shutting his first F&B venture, a scone kiosk in 2015, former pastry chef Ray Chen, 38, has been wanting to make a comeback with another concept.
His wish became a reality in April this year, except that instead of starting a patisserie like he had dreamed, Chen opened hawker stall Kine dishing out lactose-free gourmet burgers at ABC Brickworks Food Centre. Pronounced like 'kind' without the "d", Kine is an old English word for cattle.
FORCED TO STOP WORK DUE TO HEALTH STRUGGLES
The change in trajectory wasn't by choice but necessity.
Chen, who had stints at Flor Patisserie, Les Amis, Tarte by Cheryl Koh and bistro-bar Epiphyte, began experiencing stomach discomfort about seven years ago.
'It was not so serious at first, then I started getting diarrhoea and bloating… this happened almost every day,' the At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy graduate told 8days.sg. 'Sometimes the pain was so intense, I would faint. It was worse than when I fractured my leg. Eventually this pain caused me to stop working in 2018.'
For years, Chen endured these episodes, undergoing test after test at various specialists with no clear answers – until he was finally diagnosed with FODMAP sensitivity, a complex digestive condition that includes lactose intolerance and restricting many common foods like wheat, almonds and apples, this year.
How did he manage without an income for so long? 'My wife is working and her salary is enough to support the both of us. But I feel like a xiao bai lian ("kept man" in Mandarin),' quipped Chen, adding that his 35-year-old wife works as an admin at the Housing and Development Board.
'Our family concept is she takes care of the stable income, I take care of the unstable but there-is-big-potential income.'
WINDFALL THANKS TO TESLA STOCKS
And by that he means investing. During his seven-year break, Chen took a keen interest in investing in US stocks and began doing it full-time. That's when he stumbled upon Tesla.
'I was researching on YouTube and videos on Tesla kept popping up and I kept listening to their story. Tesla seemed very promising at that time, so I sold all my stocks and bought Tesla at about US$20 (S$25.72) per share,' he said.
'It made 10 times [returns], which is a 1,000 per cent increase.'
When we probe about his winnings, Chen laughed. 'My wife says I cannot say! She won't even let me tell my friends. It's not super a lot.'
'I haven't cashed out and I'm still holding the stocks 'cos I'm expecting another tenfold [increase],' he added confidently.
BURGERS, NOT BAKES
Despite not yet cashing out on his windfall, it gave Chen financial breathing room to pursue his F&B dream without pressure. As selling pastries was no longer an option due to his lactose sensitivity, Chen took his time to experiment with business ideas, before settling on lactose-free burgers.
'I listed all the things I love to eat, and burgers stood out. They're tasty, and the risk is not so high as people eat them regularly,' he explains.
As Chen had never worked in a savoury kitchen, it was a steep learning curve for the chef. He spent a year practicing cooking techniques as well as developing lactose-free recipes for his buns and sauces. He finally opened a stall at ABC Brickworks Food Centre in April this year.
DESIGNED BY AI, INSPIRED BY ELON MUSK
It's hard to miss Kine when walking along the aisles of the hawker centre. With its sleek, futuristic stainless steel stall front, Kine, which cost S$40,000 to set up, stands out among its bright, colourful neighbours. Even the menu is displayed on a Xiaomi TV.
Designed by AI, the minimalist stall is a subtle nod to Tesla's edgy Cybertruck. 'I like how innovative and different the Cybertruck is,' shares Ray. 'It's controversial, but it makes a point.'
To complete the theme and also reduce the use of nanoplastics, burgers are served on customised stainless steel trays, along with a mini fork.
'Can you help me tell people not to steal them?' asks Chen. 'It's only been three days and we've lost 10 big and small plates and 16 forks.' Depending on the size, each tray costs S$1 to S$3, while forks are almost S$1.
STOP STEALING HIS FUTURISTIC PLATES AND FORKS
It's no surprise that Chen is a fan of Elon Musk, not because the controversial billionaire entrepreneur contributed to his windfall, though 'it helps'.
'It's his ideas,' said Chen. 'I've watched almost all his interviews and he's very open to sharing his real thoughts. A lot of CEOs, especially the big ones, don't want to share controversial ideas 'cos it brings negative comments to them. But Elon Musk is very open and that is very good for investors 'cos you know what he is thinking.'
KINE'S MENU
Kine currently offers four burgers: Signature British Curry Crunchy Shrimp Burger (from S$9.20), Double American Smash Burger (from S$8.90), Single American Smash Burger (S$7.10), all served with lactose-free buns made using Chen's recipe. There is also a 'budget' version of the single patty smash burger, with store-bought lactose-free burger bun and no cheese (from S$5.70).
'While testing recipes, I knew I wanted to offer a cheaper option, which is why I came up with this 'small' burger, which is cheaper by S$1 or S$2. It is the same patty, but instead of our custom-made buns, we use store-bought ones and no cheese,' said Chen.
You can order the burgers a la carte, with a side of basic shoestring fries, or a set with premium crunchy fries and salad, as indicated by the three prices beside each burger on the menu.
Sides like salad and fries are available from S$2.40.
Chen plans to expand his menu to offer more salads and a chicken burger.
DOUBLE AMERICAN SMASH BURGER, S$12.40 A SET
Available as a single patty or a double, this juicy, messy burger hits the right notes.
Smashed thin and grilled for just a minute, the USDA Prime beef patties, each weighing 100g, are meaty with a caramelised crust. They are topped with melty vegan 'mozzarella' cheese, raw onions and tangy chipotle gochujang dressing.
It all sits between tanned, fluffy toasted buns, specially made darker hued so 'they look more appetising'. The colour comes from a 'secret natural ingredient' that Chen keeps close to his chest. The buns are sturdier than regular burger buns, but still soft and fluffy and can contain the juicy toppings without turning soggy.
Served on the side are lettuce leaves drizzled with bright, zingy carrot umami dressing and fab crunchy fries with house-made creamy curry dip that reminds us of Twisties BBQ curry flavour. Nice.
The double-stack burger is available a la carte at S$8.90 and S$11.70 with regular shoestring fries.
SIGNATURE BRITISH CURRY CRUNCHY SHRIMP BURGER, S$12.70 A SET
The shrimp burger (S$9.20 a la carte) is pretty unorthodox. Inspired by a shrimp curry ramen Ray had in Tokyo, he set out to recreate the dish in burger form – with a twist.
Instead of a shrimp paste patty, the burger features six deep-fried shrimp, which are dredged in egg, flour and a 'breadcrumb-like coating' to give it a crunchier finish.
They are paired with subtly smoky teppanyaki-style sautéed beans sprouts, and topped with creamy curry sauce – yes, the same one served with the fries.
Though born from a Japanese dish, Chen calls it a British curry burger as the flavour profile is closer to the curries he enjoyed in London. The flavours come together quite nicely, but the occasional earthy taste of bean sprouts may not appeal to everyone.
WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE?
Kine stands out in the hawker scene with its creative, lactose-free gourmet burgers that deliver on flavour and flair. Every element reflects Chen's attention to detail, from the specially developed buns to the zippy house-made sauces. We like our burgers meaty, juicy, and messy and the hearty double stack smash burger ticks all the boxes. Even the accompanying crunchy fries and dip are yum. Prices are reasonable for the quality, so the stall is worth a visit.