Tastemakers: Ajumma's founder gave up university and concert pianist dream to start restaurant

Straits Times

03-05-2025

SINGAPORE – Mr Dominic Tan, 33, once dreamt of becoming a concert pianist. These days, the co-founder and chief executive of fast-casual Korean chain Ajumma's composes dishes instead of music, to the tune of $15 million in annual revenue.
At just four years old, he began studying music. Sharing a birthday with classical great Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart cemented the notion that he was made for a life of music. He used to hog the only piano at Rosyth Primary School, practising for hours.
'I loved it. I had the aptitude for it,' he says. 'I wanted to learn music composition to express myself, to create something from nothing.'
His father, a senior manager at a real estate company, and his mother, a human resource executive, envisaged a different career path for him. They nudged him towards business, law or medicine.
At National Junior College, he took A-level music, alongside chemistry, mathematics and geography. He aced everything but chemistry and Chinese, for which he obtained Bs. He set his sights on auditioning for a conservatory in Europe, but an old injury struck a jarring note.
At 14, during a gymnastics session, he vaulted and landed badly. What was misdiagnosed as a sprain turned out years later to be a fractured lumbar spine.
He endured the sharp pain until after his A levels and underwent surgery in January 2011.
It was an excruciating road to recovery for the sports enthusiast who used to run at least twice a week. Doctors told him to refrain from sports for a year to allow his spine to heal.
He used that downtime to obtain a diploma in music performance awarded by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in Britain , taking the examination as a private candidate in Singapore.
During national service, he was a keyboardist with the Music & Drama Company – his dream NS vocation. But what changed his life were not the performances. It was a friendship he struck up with a fellow full-time NSman as they were both focused on their future.
They spent their free time discussing how they could achieve financial independence and security as soon as possible.
On weekends, the pair would meet at a now-defunct Korean food stall in the basement of Clarke Quay Central, eating $4 plates of bulgogi. A rare splurge was Korean BBQ, which could cost up to $80 for a meal for two at a restaurant.
'We realised that lower-priced Korean food often lacked quality and taste, but Korean restaurant fare was too expensive to dine on regularly,' says Mr Tan.
They saw a gap in the market. What if they could offer affordable Korean food with better quality?
A newfound appetite for financial literacy also reshaped Mr Tan's world view and ambition. Books by American investors Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger opened his mind to the world of business and wealth-building. Their writings spurred his desire to own a business.
After completing NS in 2012, Mr Tan and his friend met almost daily for a year, testing recipes. YouTube, cookbooks and feedback from Mr Tan's distant relative – a South Korean chef who is a cousin of his aunt's husband – were their teachers. The chef tasted their bulgogi and shared tips on improving the marinade with specific condiments.
By then, Mr Tan had given up thoughts of applying to university or a conservatory.
He says: 'I knew I wanted to start a business and I didn't want to study. If I got a degree, I would get pulled into a job and forget my entrepreneurial dreams.'
Though initially displeased, his parents eventually came around and lent him money to open his first outlet.
'They know that once I set my mind to do something, I will do it. Nothing can sway me,' he says.
With $80,000 scraped together from parental loans and savings, Mr Tan and his friend opened the first Ajumma's, a 26-seat eatery tucked away in the basement of The Cathay, in August 2014.
Situated beside a toilet and flanked by larger shops, the location was risky. The menu was tight – fewer than 10 items, including their Signature Beef Kalbi ($11.90 then, now $16.90++) and Chicken Bulgogi ($7.90 then, now $11.90++).
The Signature Beef Kalbi at fast-casual Korean chain Ajumma's uses USDA prime boneless short ribs.
PHOTO: AJUMMA'S
'We couldn't afford marketing. We relied entirely on word of mouth,' says Mr Tan. The first day's takings of $490 could not cover operating costs.
'We worked seven days a week, with no salary, eating our own food daily,' he says. Even then, they chose the cheapest items, allowing themselves beef only on special occasions.
Mr Tan's greatest luxury was buying business books to read after closing at midnight.
One month after opening, personal tragedy struck. His grandmother, a pivotal figure in his life, died in September 2014. Mr Tan had been close to her, often chatting with her daily before work.
'I would be marinating meat and I'd just start crying,' he says.
The loss was devastating, but he soldiered on. In 2015, a year after opening, his business partner decided to leave. Despite sharing similar business philosophies, they clashed over growth strategies. Mr Tan bought out his friend's shares for a low six-figure sum – based on projected earnings – and took full control. It was a financial and emotional blow.
'Operationally, it was tough. I had to do even more work on 16-hour days. I probably aged a little during that time,' he says.
Still, he pressed on. The eatery broke even after 18 months. A second Ajumma's outlet opened at Funan mall in 2019. Today, the chain has expanded to five suburban outlets. A $200,000 central kitchen is set to launch in May .
In 2024, he expanded beyond fast-casual dining with Odem, a craft makgeoli bar and modern Korean restaurant at New Bahru.
Odem, a craft makgeoli bar and modern Korean restaurant, was born out of Mr Tan's interest in craft makgeoli.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
Though he likens cooking to music composition – assembling ingredients instead of notes – he entrusted Odem's menu to 27-year-old South Korean head chef Yumi Bae, who developed it over a year, alongside Malaysia-born sous chef Jayden Ho, 28, who is a permanent resident here.
Dishes such as Coal-grilled Aji with Gamtae Beurre Blanc ($68++) and housemade Brioche with Gamtae Seaweed Butter ($20++) hit the right notes – rich in flavour and precise in execution.
Coal-grilled Aji with Gamtae Beurre Blanc and Brioche with Gamtae Seaweed Butter at Odem.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
Odem's makgeoli, soju and beer selection – over 40 varieties – is a passion project born from Mr Tan's twice yearly trips to South Korea, where he discovered craft makgeoli made by small breweries.
Now, he visits more breweries to curate artisanal, unpasteurised rice wines such as Hwacheon Ilchui, infused with 22 varieties of flowers ($82++ for a 500ml bottle) , and Danhong, a raspberry , hibiscus and beetroot brew ($88++ for a 500ml bottle) . He selects breweries that avoid preservatives, added sugar and artificial sweeteners and flavourings.
Danhong is a craft makgeoli made using raspberries, hibiscus and beetroot.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
To facilitate this, he set up Sool Cellar Asia Pacific with a warehouse in Alexandra in January 2024 to import and distribute craft Korean alcoholic beverages. Conceptualising Odem and securing cold-chain logistics took one year.
Hwacheon Ilchui is a craft makgeoli infused with 22 varieties of flowers.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
He hopes to take Odem to places like Hong Kong and Japan . For Ajumma's, he is eyeing five more outlets in Singapore, with regional expansion plans under way through joint ventures in Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Bangkok.
Mr Tan's goal is to hit $18 million in annual revenue by the end of the year. He employs close to 100 staff and is still hiring.
Despite the success, he remains grounded. He eschews investors to retain autonomy and makes it a point to lead by example.
'If we want someone to do something, we should be willing to do it ourselves,' he says.
His day starts at 8.30am with meditation and often ends after midnight. Sundays are reserved for badminton. The bachelor still dines at his own outlets, often ordering the beef kalbi – a dish he denied himself in the early days.
'Being able to order the dish whenever I want is an acknowledgement to myself that I have made it,' he says with a chuckle.
'I don't see work as work,' he adds. 'I'm living the life I chose.'
Mr Tan has never stopped composing – only now, his creations are measured in flavours .
'Not having a degree helped me in a good way. I didn't start out with a rigid mental framework of how a business should be,' he says. 'Reading biographies and business books by entrepreneurs taught me about business, relationships and life.'
Tastemakers is a personality profile series on food and beverage vendors who are creating a stir.
Hedy Khoo is senior correspondent at The Straits Times. She covers food-related news, from reviews to human interest stories.
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