Latest news with #MeganTan
CNA
02-08-2025
- Business
- CNA
A homesick craving inspired her to launch a Singaporean supper club and food brand in London
It was a comforting bowl of bak chor mee (minced meat noodle) that changed it all. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Megan Tan was living in London and working as a finance lawyer. With the city in lockdown, her homesick roommate was craving local Singaporean food. 'It was her birthday and we couldn't go anywhere. I wanted to do something thoughtful for her, so I asked her what her favourite dish was. It was bak chor mee, so I Googled a recipe and made it for the first time,' Tan, 30, recalled. That simple act of cooking for a friend was enough to spark a realisation in Tan for two reasons. 'First, it was the feeling of making something with my own two hands. And second, it was making something that I love so much, and that she loved so much too, and the joy that it brought to the both of us.' In fact, Tan enjoyed the experience of cooking for others so much that for the rest of the lockdown, she started opening up orders for dishes such as wonton mee, Hokkien mee and carrot cake on her Instagram. During the weekends, she would cook the dishes and cycle out to deliver them herself. 'I had a lot of fun and I think it gave me a lot of meaning and human connection at a time when it was very short in supply,' Tan, a self-professed extrovert, reflected. Eventually, she launched Homi Kitchen, a supper club run out of her apartment where she serves Singaporean dishes to guests. What started as a nostalgic dinner for her social bubble soon evolved into something bigger. Beyond the supper club, Tan is on a mission to create a brand that can make 'Singaporean flavours easily accessible on supermarket shelves for everyone in the UK', said the young entrepreneur. In early 2025, Tan went on to launch her first product – the Giga Chicken Rice Chilli sauce, a flavour-packed condiment inspired by one Singapore's most beloved dishes, with more products already in the pipeline. FROM LAW TO LOCAL FLAVOURS Born and raised in Singapore, Tan grew up in a three-generation household in Serangoon, with her grandmother, an avid cook, cooking Teochew dishes every day for the family. 'She's the queen of the kitchen. I would try to help, but quite often I would be making things worse,' Tan recalled with a laugh. It wasn't until she studied law at the University of Oxford in the UK that she began experimenting with cooking herself. 'I missed food from home, and the funny thing is, I didn't have a kitchen in my college accommodation. I only had a rice cooker, and I had all my sauces and ingredients in a box.' She made do with the limited setup, cooking Asian comfort dishes such as chicken curry and katsu curry in that one pot. She often invited friends to gather in her room for dinner, who brought over their own bowls and cutlery. After completing her legal training back in Singapore, Tan made the jump to move to London full-time. 'Within the legal industry, London is one of the big hot spots for top-notch firms and teams. It is also a very international, cosmopolitan city,' she said of the move. A few years into her legal career, Tan quickly realised that her true passion laid elsewhere. 'What sparked the greatest joy for me was being in the consumer retail space, and seeing my customers really enjoying my food and being grateful for the comfort that a simple bowl of noodles brought them,' said Tan. Homi Kitchen was a way for her to indulge in her love for cooking while balancing a demanding day job. 'Why I started the supper club was to also test my theory that there's a growing interest in Singaporean food in the UK. It was a way to meet people who weren't necessarily from Singapore or Malaysia to find out how they know about the cuisine and why they were curious enough to try it,' Tan explained. For her very first supper club, Tan whipped up a Hainanese chicken rice feast. Later on, the menus featured other Singaporean hawker favourites such as carrot cake, wonton mee and even a chilli crab and black pepper crab session. Seats are usually priced around £25 (S$42). At the table, 'there was always a mix of nationalities, which is reflective of life in London,' said Tan. Despite the success of the supper club, Tan knew that if she were to leave her job, it would not be to continue hosting private dinners. Instead, she had bigger ambitions. 'Here in London, we already have a growing number of Singaporean and Malaysian restaurants. We have Singapulah, which still has long queues months after opening, and we've got Old Chang Kee as well, so I don't think London necessarily needs another restaurant,' said Tan. 'I think what the UK is lacking is authentic Singaporean flavours on grocery shelves.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Homi Kitchen (@ From her very first supper club session, where she served Hainanese chicken rice, Tan was already toying with the idea of selling the accompanying chilli sauce she had made from scratch. Over time, she used each supper club as a testing ground, gathering feedback from her diners. 'I wanted to get a good sense of what would be a great product that people actually want,' she said. 'By the time I left my job, I had a very clear idea of what the product would be and the kind of people who would be interested in the brand.' COOKING UP A BRAND With the Giga Chilli Sauce, Tan wants to bridge the gap between home-cooked meals and dining out at a restaurant. The condiment is meant to help home cooks add interesting, familiar flavours to their dishes with minimal effort. Tan's customers have been creative in the way they use the sauce too. Beyond pairing it with chicken rice, they have slathered it on sandwiches or stirred it into their takeaway pho from the nearby Vietnamese restaurant. At one of Homi Kitchen's pop-up events, Tan even created a 'chicken rice cocktail' in the form of a spicy margarita with the chilli sauce as a base, in collaboration with a bar in Camden market. Customers interested in the Giga Chilli Sauce can currently purchase it online on Homi Kitchen's website. The condiment is also stocked at grocers, food courts and delis such as Raya at Borough Market, Eat 17 on Orford Road, Polhill Farm Shop at London Road and Harvest E1 on Brick Lane. The name Homi Kitchen – a playful twist on 'home' that also means 'homie', as in friend – reflects Tan's dual vision for the brand. 'As I started out as a homerun supper club, I wanted people to feel at home with the brand. It's also a reminder to myself that my focus is also on getting my products into other people's homes.' The brand wants to share the 'crazy rich flavours of Singapore" beyond its shores, as its tagline encapsulates. And for Tan, the chilli sauce is just the beginning. 'Right now, it's just chilli sauce, but long-term, the other products I have in mind are stuff like ready made char kway teow that you can pop into the microwave,' Tan elaborated. 'Of course, it will never be as good as going to your favourite store in Singapore, but my goal is to get as close as humanly and to fill that gap for someone who misses local food, or someone who is curious about the cuisine.' Tan is already working on Homi Kitchen's next condiment, the Hei Hei Black Pepper Sauce, slated to launch soon. 'At my black pepper and chilli crab supper club, some of the guests loved the black pepper sauce so much that they asked if I was going to start selling it,' shared Tan. 'I started looking into it and making the sauce for people to try at my events, putting them on things like tater tots just to get people to see it as something different and seeing how it lands. People really loved the flavour.' FINDING PURPOSE Giving up a prestigious career in law to pursue an uncharted path is a bold move. 'Growing up in Asia, and maybe especially in my generation, you are brought up to study hard to secure a good, stable job for the rest of your life,' said Tan, who attended Raffles Girls School and later Raffles Institution in Singapore. 'Reflecting on my younger years, part of why I chased a law career was because my friends were doing so,' Tan reflected. 'But as objectively desirable I knew a law career is for many people, eventually I had to accept that I would never be 100 per cent happy.' Stepping into entrepreneurship is 'unfamiliar territory' for her family, who do not come from a business background. While her parents were initially worried she was making a rash decision, they supported her wholeheartedly. Tan makes regular trips back to Singapore to spend time with her family. Her go-to dish when she's home? A comforting bowl of bak chor mee. Back in London, Tan continues to host supper club sessions while developing new products for Homi Kitchen. In June, she hosted two sold-out events in collaboration with Hong Kong milk tea brand Chadong. On the menu were dishes such as Hei Hei Pepper Pork Belly, Hainanese Chicken Rice and Popiah, while Chadong contributed milk bread prawn toast, lychee and lime granita and Hong Kong French toast ice cream bars. Despite the uncertainties that lie with entrepreneurship, Tan has found a sense of purpose in building something of her own. 'Whatever the outcome, I can say that I already find this journey meaningful,' she reflected. 'This is something I intrinsically want to do. No one needs to tell me that I'm doing a good job, or that it's the right thing to do. It still feels right for me."
Time Out
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
We visited i Light Singapore 2025 and here are the best 8 installations you should check out
Singapore's mega light art festival is lighting up the city once again. i Light Singapore 2025 is finally here, with 17 striking installations spread out across various locations at Marina Bay, South Beach, Singapore River and Raffles Place. We got a sneak peek of the installations before they open to the public, and here's the lowdown on the must-see highlights you won't want to miss. It's a visual feast, so make sure your phone and camera are fully charged – and don't hesitate to bring along handheld lights too. If you've got the time, we definitely recommend exploring all 17 artworks. But if you're after a quick hit of the festival's highlights, here are the top installations you absolutely shouldn't miss. 1. Saulux Location: Fountain Plaza, South Beach Avenue Level 1 Saulux encourages you to engage with nature in a playful, sensory way. This immersive patch of slender twigs is embedded with sensors that detect your movement, triggering each twig to respond with bursts of light and sound. Go ahead and run your fingers through the installation and watch the glowing landscape come to life. 2. Mozart Artist: StudioGEAR (China) Location: Helix Steps at Marina Bay At first glance, this installation resembles a massive glowing orb. But take a closer look and you'll discover a deconstructed grand piano hidden in plain sight. Each step on the staircase functions as a piano key, lighting up and producing sound as you move. The ambient soundscape features reimagined versions of Mozart's compositions, and with every step you take, you're composing your own unique melody. It's also a fun way to sneak in a cardio session as you walk up and down the stairs. 3. Take a walk through the meadow with me Artist: Megan Tan and Tan Shao Xuan (Singapore) Location: Lawn beside NTUC building at Marina Bay The name says it all – Take a walk through the meadow with me invites you to stroll through a glowing field of flowers crafted from repurposed acrylic waste. Each flower lights up and emits a gentle melody upon sensing movement, creating an enchanting symphony and visual spectacle as more people join in. It's a beautiful reminder that even discarded trash can be transformed into something magical. 4. Sign Artist: Vendel and de Wolf (The Netherlands) Location: The Promontory at Marina Bay Sign is an installation that commands attention from afar – the fiery red glow is visible from across the waters. Each 'flame' is formed from bamboo poles wrapped in reflective aluminium tape, flickering as light catches the surface. Designed to resemble flames dancing in the air, the installation creates the illusion of a giant campfire, drawing crowds to gather around it in awe. 5. Bridge of 1,000 dreams Artist: Studio Toer (The Netherlands) Location: Cavenagh Bridge at the Singapore River This towering installation is crafted from a thousand bamboo sticks, like its name suggests, symbolising the power of collective imagination and the determination it takes to bring a grand vision to life. Take a closer look and you'll spot Singapore-inspired motifs on each stick, intricately designed by local studio Binary Style. Bridge of 1,000 Dreams has been extended and will be available till July 20, 2025. 6. This is Not a Screen Location: South Beach Avenue, Level B1 This installation cleverly captures the idea that everyone sees things differently, especially in today's digital age. At its core is a luminous monolith projecting vibrant geometric shapes, and surrounding it are movable screens of varying sizes and angles. As you rotate these screens and peer through them, the light from the centre distorts, offering a unique perspective each time. It's an interactive experience that gets even more fun when you compare what you and your friends each saw. 7. Embrace Artist: Beamhacker (Australia) Location: Event Square at Marina Bay Embrace is a fun one to check out, especially if you're visiting with a big group of friends. Made just for i Light Singapore 2025, the installation is inspired by children's paper chain dolls and comes to life through human touch. To activate it, everyone needs to stand between the figures and hold hands with the figures. Once the circle is complete, the figures glow in vibrant colors while a beautiful melody fills the air. 8. VJYourself! Get ready to show off your best dance moves at this installation. VJYourself! acts like a mirror, capturing your every movement and projecting it onto a giant wall – with a fun twist. You'll see multiple versions of yourself in a playful montage, complete with cool special effects that bring your performance to life. When is i Light Singapore happening in 2025? i Light Singapore 2025 will run from May 29 to June 21, 2025. What are the opening hours for i Light Singapore 2025? i Light Singapore runs daily from 7.30pm to 11.00pm, with extended hours until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Do note that timings for various programmes may vary. Is there an admission fee for i Light Singapore? General access to the festival is free. However, certain programmes may require a separate ticket purchase. What is i Light Singapore 2025's theme? This year's theme is To Gather, celebrating Singapore's 60th birthday, with red as the main colour. Where are the i Light Singapore 2025 installations located?
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
i Light 2025 returns from 29 May to 21 Jun with 17 new installations
i Light 2025 returns from 29 May to 21 Jun with 17 new installations i Light, the annual light art festival in Singapore that unites communities through light installations, returns this month. Based on the theme To Gather, inspired by the colour red and to celebrate SG60, i Light 2025 will have 17 new installations by 20 artists, as well as activities that bring together people from all walks of life. Credit – i Light Singapore 2025 Organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), Asia's leading light festival will light up Marina Bay and neighbouring precincts. These include the returning satellite site South Beach and, for the first time, new sites along the Singapore River and at Raffles Place. Here are the highlights of i Light 2025. Installations at the main festival ground, Marina Bay Credit – i Light Singapore 2025 Explore Take a walk through the meadow with me (above, left) by Megan Tan and Tan Shao Xuan (Singapore) from the University of the Arts, London College of Communication. Located on the lawn beside the NTUC Building, the garden is made up of 300 illuminated flowers repurposed from acrylic waste from art studios and workshops. These react to presence with light and music, creating a sensory experience. Marina Bay will host Piano Walk (above, right) by Amigo & Amigo (Australia), transforming their outdoor Event Plaza by the Marina Bay waterfront into a stage for collaborative music. Visitors' steps on the larger-than-life piano collectively create unique melodies. This is coupled with an original music composition that automatically plays every 10 minutes. New satellite sites along the Singapore River and at Raffles Place Credit – i Light Singapore 2025 For the first time, i Light 2025 introduces new satellite sites along the Singapore River and at Raffles Place. Set against the Singapore River and on the facade of the UOB Plaza, Reverse Waterfall (above, left) by UxU Studio (Taiwan) will offer a visual treat by creating the semblance of a waterfall flowing in 3 reverse directions. This invites people to reflect on what we accept as 'natural'. By doing so, visitors can uncover novel perspectives on reality. The Bridge of 1,000 Dreams (above, right) will transform the Cavenagh Bridge across the Singapore River using illuminated bamboo sticks. This reflects the visions of Singaporeans that collectively build a stronger tomorrow. The 2 installations will be on display till 20 Jul. South Beach returns as a satellite site Credit – i Light Singapore 2025 Back as a satellite site, South Beach will host Saulux (above, left) by (Malta), at its Fountain Plaza. Here, wind transforms into light and sound with willow twigs. This creates an experience where visitors can interact with nature in an enchanting manner. Near the Esplanade MRT station, This is Not a Screen (above, right) utilises polarised screens that have been recycled from electronic waste such as everyday digital devices. This prompts reflection on how technology can portray reality differently to each individual. GastroBeats returns too with more good food and music Credit – i Light Singapore 2025 Among the returning fringe programmes is the popular Festival Village, GastroBeats. Held at the Bayfront Event Space from 29 May to 22 Jun, it serves as a culinary melting pot. Leveraging the universal languages of food and music, GastroBeats introduces vibrant retail and pet-friendly zones. GastroBeats will also feature Let's Trouble The Water!, where independent Jelilo characters rally festival goers to combat marine pollution. The post i Light 2025 returns from 29 May to 21 Jun with 17 new installations appeared first on
CNA
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
i Light Singapore returns end-May with 17 new light installations and GastroBeats festival village
i Light Singapore (iLSG) is set to return with 17 new light art installations by 20 artists – including an illuminated flower garden and a larger-than-life piano – along with the popular festival village, GastroBeats. From May 29 to Jun 21, 7.30pm to 11pm daily, with extended hours to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, Asia's leading light festival will light up Marina Bay and neighbouring precincts, as well as new sites along the Singapore River and at Raffles Place for the first time. Organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and presented by UOB, the festival, which aims to promote sustainability, is anchored on the theme To Gather and inspired by the colour red – a wavelength on the visible light spectrum and in celebration of SG60, according to a press release by i Light Singapore. At the main festival ground of Marina Bay, visitors can explore installations including "Take a walk through the meadow with me" by Megan Tan and Tan Shao Xuan (Singapore) from the University of the Arts, London College of Communication, which boasts a dynamic garden of 300 illuminated flowers repurposed from acrylic waste that respond to visitors' presence with light and music. Visitors can also participate in the "Design your own meadow memory" acrylic charm do-it-yourself workshop, where they get to upcycle offcuts of the installation into personalised charms. Additionally, Marina Bay Sands will host "Piano Walk" by Amigo & Amigo (Australia) at its outdoor Event Plaza, which features a larger-than-life piano that plays an original composition every 10 minutes and uses visitors' steps to create melodies. Other highlights include "Elementary" by Tonoptik (Montenegro) at Clifford Square, next to The Fullerton Bay Hotel, where visitors' movements alter a virtual landscape on the screen inspired by the ocean, as well as "Urban Oracle" by Ultravioletto (Italy) at the pontoon near the Red Dot Design Museum, which features 24 illuminated letters suspended over the water. iLSG will also introduce new satellite sites along the Singapore River and at Raffles Place. At the Singapore River visitors can visit the "Reverse Waterfall" by UxU Studio (Taiwan), which will create a semblance of a waterfall flowing in the reverse direction, as well as the "Bridge of 1,000 Dreams" presented by UOB and DesignSingapore Council, which will transform the Cavenagh Bridge across the Singapore River with illuminated bamboo sticks. These two installations will be on display till Jul 20, 2025. Raffles Place Park will also host a stunning inflatable garden, "The Guardians" by Matthew Aberline and The Beautiful And Useful Studio (Australia). Returning as a satellite site, South Beach will host "Saulux" by (Malta), at its Fountain Plaza, where wind transforms into light and sound manifested within a field of swaying willow twigs as well as "This is Not a Screen" which utilises recycled polarised screens from electronic waste to offer changing perspectives when gently spun. Adding to the vibrancy of the programme, popular festival village, GastroBeats, is also set to return to the Bayfront Event Space from May 29 to Jun 22, 4pm to 11pm daily with vibrant retail and pet-friendly zones, daily live music performances, as well as delectable street food and gourmet delights.
