Every day, in a bustling kitchen along Balestier Road, skilled hands deftly mould thousands of paus while charcoal-roasted meat is hoisted on spits to be used as filling for char siew buns.
While most may shy away from such labour, Tanjong Rhu Pau’s second-generation owners Yap Wei Jie, 43, and Chloe Yap, 48, embraced it with open arms.
The siblings grew up helping their parents sell and pack paus, but it was only in 2015 that they truly got their hands dirty.
“My father is very strict,” Wei Jie told MS News, sharing that it took months of practice to meet the high standards set by his parents, who are now both in their 70s.
Though the path was not always easy, the siblings said that keeping the family legacy alive was never in question.
For both Chloe and Wei Jie, the decision to enter the family business did not happen overnight.
The business had always been part of their lives, and became even more so as they grew older.
Over time, Chloe became more involved in the administrative side of the business, while Wei Jie focused on operations.
“To be honest, our parents have always told us it’s a tough job. They said we should go do our own thing,” said Chloe. “But this has always been something that we wanted to do.”
By consistently showing up and taking an interest in the business throughout their lives, the siblings believe they made their intentions clear.
One day, they would continue what their parents had started three decades ago.
Image courtesy of Tanjong Rhu Pau
So, on a Sunday in 2015, their father brought them into the store’s kitchen for the first time, and the rest was history.
When asked what it takes to run such a business, the siblings said it boils down to three things: integrity, perseverance, and the patience to see things through.
This means showing up every day before the store opens — sometimes as early as 6am — to prepare the day’s assortment of siew mai, lor mai kai, and buns.
The work doesn’t end there. In the afternoon, Wei Jie begins marinating the meat for the next day to be used across all four of Tanjong Rhu Pau’s outlets.
“A work day runs about 10 hours, and on a hectic day it could stretch to 12,” said Chloe. “But as business owners, our minds don’t stop working.”
Still, working with family has its perks.
“We work well together,” said Chloe, adding that because they think alike, they are often in sync.
For Wei Jie, their close relationship also makes resolving disagreements easier.
“There will always be moments of frustration,” he admitted. “But the good thing about working with family is that we just forget about it.”
Even after getting married and having children of their own, the siblings still gather for dinner at their parents’ home once a week.
They try not to talk about work, but sometimes end up doing so anyway.
Apart from the occasional staff shortage, Wei Jie and Chloe also pointed to rising costs as a challenge, particularly after the pandemic.
They have seen price increases from suppliers and faced rent hikes. But for Chloe, the mindset has always been simple:
It has to work.
In fact, Tanjong Rhu Pau has continued seizing opportunities as they arise, with two new kiosks set to open in Bishan and Mandai this month.
“For the longest time, we’ve been located in the East of Singapore,” said Chloe, adding that the business can now serve customers in the North as well as tourists.
Even so, the second-generation owners hope to retain their regulars through honest, well-made food.
“We are honest in what we do. We’d like to think that our customers can feel our sincerity and effort when we prepare a pau,” said Wei Jie. “There’s also a lot of nostalgia, because some regulars have eaten our paus since they were young.”
Chloe recalls instances when regulars who have moved overseas still look to their paus as a taste of home. Moments like these, she said, make the hard work worthwhile.
“This is the constant feedback that we receive, and it’s what keeps us going,” she said.
Rather than trying to differentiate themselves from their many competitors, Wei Jie hopes to shift perceptions of the humble pau by focusing on their craft.
“Sometimes we feel disheartened when people complain about the price of paus,” he said, noting that many may not think twice about paying much more for croissants or tarts.
With the care and effort that goes into each bun, such comments can sting.
“We are not saying those pastries are not worth the price,” added Chloe. “But we are worth it, too.”
Under their stewardship, the siblings hope to slowly shift the mindset of consumers in Singapore — one pau at a time.
Find out more about Tanjong Rhu Pau on Instagram or Facebook.
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Featured image by MS News. Photography by Hannah Teoh.