Soul Food with Natasha Chiam

Delonix Tan’s story is one of transformation. In Singapore’s high-pressure academic landscape, grades are often a primary measure of self-worth. When school failed to provide Delon with that sense of value, he looked for belonging elsewhere: in gangs.For a time, Delon felt "really lost" and didn’t know who he was anymore, drifting between gang life, startup business attempts, and unfulfilling sales jobs. It wasn't until he stepped into the world of his family’s fishball business that he finally found himself.The life of wet market vendors and hawkers in Southeast Asia is notoriously tough; they often start work at 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning, doing physical work in tropical heat. Yet it was in this challenging environment that Delon found his purpose.“When I first joined [the business] I thought I want to make money,” says Delon. He soon realised that it wasn’t the cash, but the great personal growth he experienced that gave him the desire to continue in this tough industry. “It’s not about the money, it’s about the person you’re becoming.”Today, Delon’s life is defined by discipline - a far cry from his early years, where he struggled to even wake up on time. He views his health (maintained through meditation, exercise, and diet) as an investment in the business' longevity. One of his goals is to preserve our fast-declining wet market culture, so he documents his daily life as a modern-day hawker, sharing routines and traditional ways of working unique to his trade. Through his work, he also advocates for Singapore’s hawker industry, and believes that craftsmanship deserves more respect.His other goal? To ensure Sandai Fishball reaches its 100-year milestone. “If I work till I retire I can do it,” he smiles.If you’ve ever felt directionless or unsure about your own future, this episode is a meaningful example of finding purpose in the most unlikely places. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulfoodpodcast.substack.com

So much has been said about the challenges of Singapore’s local F&B scene, but very little about the decline of home cooking. While our grandmothers and aunties cooked almost daily, just 38% of us today cook at home on a regular basis (according to a 2022 study by the Institute of Policy Studies, reported in the Straits Times).In this episode, our guest Christopher Tan, author, food historian and champion of local heritage cuisine, talks about how home cooking nourishes not just our bodies, but also our souls: shopping in the wet market and interacting with vendors builds relationships based on human interaction; cooking at home together with family and friends strengthen familial bonds. In a society where loneliness and disconnection are more and more prevalent, these simple actions can help us find a sense of togetherness and self.Christopher also reflects his love for kueh (our beloved bite-sized snacks or desserts). What he loves most about kueh is that every culture in Singapore has its own form of this delicacy, so it’s a food that truly unites.If you believe that food is more than the sum of its parts - it’s family, love, culture - I think you’ll enjoy this conversation. And if you’ve been meaning to get back into the kitchen, perhaps this a sign to do so in the new year. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulfoodpodcast.substack.com

What do private equity, content creation and vegan cooking have in common?Our guest, Divya Butani, has done them all. Her unconventional journey took her from corporate finance to culinary queen. And in the process, she became a mother and built a community of over 100,000 veggie-forward foodies.At the start of her journey, Divya joked that she was “an Indian wife who couldn’t cook”, trying to feed a family with diverse dietary needs, so she created a food blog to teach herself the basics.Over the years she transformed from a kitchen newbie to chef, and founder of her very own vegan cooking school.Along the way, Divya shared more than recipes. She wrote honestly about veganism, motherhood, and her struggle with post-partum depression. What started as a food blog turned into a community, space for connection and place to learn.In this episode, we dive into Divya’s unconventional path, how she’s reimagining Asian dishes through a vegan lens and hear how she turned her interest into her livelihood. If you’ve ever wondered how to turn your mission into a purpose-driven livelihood, this one’s for you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulfoodpodcast.substack.com

In this episode, I sit down with the founders of Matcha Masta, a Singapore-born brand brewing up matcha with benefits, like collagen, protein, and a whole lot of hype on TikTok. We dive into:🍵 How they transformed loyal TikTok followers into paying customers🤝 Why working with your best friend can be the ultimate business power move💡 The realities of leaving corporate life to build a brand from scratch📱 What it’s really like launching a consumer business in today’s hyper competitive scene💪 Creating a functional food productWhether you’re dreaming of starting something of your own, fascinated by how food trends grow online, or just love a good matcha latte, their story offers a blend of inspiration and practical lessons.Pull up a cup of something green and enjoy this candid conversation about taking big swings, betting on friendship, and building a business fuelled by community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulfoodpodcast.substack.com

Like many of us, Simone Heng has experienced periods of extreme loneliness.Unlike many of us, she’s turned those experiences into a successful career, driven by a mission to help people build real human connection in a lonely world.We talk about her upbringing, and her personal journey from her high profile career in media and entertainment, to becoming a young carer for her mother who suffered a stroke, and how that experienced pushed her to figure out how to build the fulfilling life she has today, and a career that is so aligned with her mission as a person.She shares her laser focussed vision and grit when it came to building her business and career. With strong visualisation “I visualised speaking at Harvard, Google, all the places I’ve now spoken at, down to the outfit” paired with “boring, hard and labourious work” in pursuit with worthy long term goals, she shares how she brought her plans to fruition.Simone also shares how we can find real human connection in a world that is as much digital as it is “real”, and how parents can set their children up for better communication skills and connection through synchronous activities like music and sport.Simone’s is a living example of how human connection, and human traits like charm, can be the foundation of a successful, meaningful (and financially viable) life. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulfoodpodcast.substack.com

Victoria Cheng’s story is about saying yes to curiosity, and combining interests with skillset.We talk about how her love of food, inherited from her father, led her to food journalism and eventually video content - skills she later used to become one of Asia’s leading esports hosts and commentators.As the oldest sister to four brothers, she shares how sports helped her build confidence, and how she’s learned to care less about what others think.We dive into the rapid evolution of esports, the impact of food and nutrition on player performance, and her goal to create long-term career paths and support for young players through her new agency. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulfoodpodcast.substack.com

From a childhood filled with explorations of his family’s kitchen cabinets, to a career in F&B that spans over 2 decades, multiple awards and a stint as a Masterchef Singapore judge, Bjorn has built his career on unexpected, creative (sometimes “stupid”) choices and the courage to see them through.I chat with Bjorn about how he has managed to run one of Singapore’s longest standing and much-loved modern restaurants, Artichoke, for 15 years - in a country where most restaurants close within their first lease term. We talk about failure, questionable decisions, what it takes to succeed in F&B in Singapore and his new direction for Artichoke: pizza!If you’re thinking about starting something new, or in the thick of running a food business yourself, this one’s for you.Bjorn, your impact on the Singapore food scene is undeniable. Thank you for sharing your story and inspiring us to be bold, unapologetic and unafraid. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulfoodpodcast.substack.com

We talk about what it means to walk away from the safe route, how Desmond stays motivated in the face of constant rejection, and the quiet practices that keep him sane.Along the way, Desmond shares what inspires him, the mindset shifts that have carried him through, and yes - the rituals (and snacks) that keep him camera-ready.It’s a conversation about creativity, persistence, and carving out a life that feels true to you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulfoodpodcast.substack.com