A longing for mum’s cooking has led this pair of sisters to embark on a journey into F&B.
Elaine and Cheryl Tioh left their hometown, Ipoh, in 2000 to work corporate jobs in Singapore.
They often missed the dishes their mum whipped up at home, but could not find anything like them here. Hence, they used her recipes to cook for themselves.
The sisters also shared the meals they prepared with their friends, who enjoyed the food greatly and encouraged them to start a business.
Elaine and Cheryl quit their jobs in logistics and finance to open the first Shan Cheng outlet in the basement of Clarke Quay Central in 2011, selling Ipoh-style dishes they made using their mum’s recipes.
They would later shutter that branch, but not before opening three other restaurants.
Speaking to AsiaOne, Elaine said that the duo hoped, and still does, for diners to “taste Ipoh” through their authentic dishes without having to leave Singapore.
And after over 14 years in the business, the sisters are now embarking on another F&B venture to continue their mission.
They are set to launch Taste Ipoh, a new concept by Shan Cheng, on Wednesday (Dec 17).
Variety of Ipoh-style dishes
AsiaOne visited Taste Ipoh on Monday, ahead of its opening, at Basement 1 of Raffles City.
We sampled a few Shan Cheng signature menu items such as the Shredded Chicken Hor Fun ($12.90) and Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng Berempah ($13.90), which will also be served at Taste Ipoh.
The silky hor fun paired well with the bouncy prawns and juicy chicken, while the chicken-and-prawn broth was clean yet flavourful.
The nasi lemak was well-balanced, with fragrant coconut rice and well-spiced fried chicken, as well as a sweet and spicy sambal which had a kick.
We also tried the Taste Ipoh-exclusive Soft Shell Crab Seaweed Popiah ($9.90), a modern twist on the traditional snack.
This fresh and flavourful dish also had a crunch to it, thanks to the thin strips of raw turnip and crispy soft shell crab wrapped in a sheet of seaweed.
Other iconic dishes and beverages served at Taste Ipoh include Ipoh Curry Noodles, Traditional Kaya Butter Toast and Ipoh White Coffee.
Taste Ipoh is a modern concept geared towards attracting a wider customer base, Elaine told AsiaOne.
In fact, the eatery is in the process of getting halal certified.
“Shan Cheng serves dishes with pork, but here (Taste Ipoh), everything is Muslim-friendly,” said the 48-year-old.
‘We did everything from head to tail’
As of 2024, San Cheng has sold over 1.1 million bowls of Ipoh hor fun.
While the sisters are doing well now, the journey to get here was both mentally and physically challenging, Elaine told AsiaOne.
Despite Clarke Quay Central being a good location for their first outlet, Shan Cheng was tucked in a corner of the mall’s basement which usually had low footfall.
They were “saved” by a popular bubble tea brand that opened an outlet right next to them, Elaine said, calling the situation “very lucky”.
People would discover the eatery while buying drinks and return the next day to give the food a try. This helped Shan Cheng gain regular customers, she explained.
The duo also struggled to secure regular suppliers and hire staff as they had yet to establish connections and make a name for themselves in the industry.
At the time, Elaine and Cheryl would work 12- to 14-hour shifts daily — buying ingredients from the market, preparing them, and cooking the dishes they served.
They would also man the cash register and prepare drinks while juggling networking opportunities and working on the Shan Cheng brand.
“Some days I was at the shop from 8am to 11pm. We did everything from head to tail,” Elaine said.
Now, Shan Cheng has a central kitchen which prepares items such as soups, curry and chili pastes for all three outlets as Elaine and Cheryl focus on Shan Cheng’s business development and marketing.
‘We had faith in ourselves’
While their parents were supportive of them starting a business, their mother — who is a noodle seller in Ipoh with about 30 years of experience — had her reservations.
“Working for a company meant having a stable paycheck, but starting our own business was risky. She kept telling us ‘It’s not easy to do business’,” Elaine said.
But the sisters were well aware of the risk they were taking and were willing to do so despite having “not much capital” and “little experience in F&B” they had gained from helping their mother at her hawker stall when they were younger.
“We told ourselves we would try for two years. If we really couldn’t make it, we could go back to our respective industries,” Elaine told AsiaOne.
“But actually, we had faith in ourselves,” she added.
When asked about their plans for the future, whether for Shan Cheng or Taste Ipoh, Elaine said that they hope to continue expanding the business in Singapore and even abroad.
“We hope to open a second outlet (for Taste Ipoh), but it won’t be so soon — it’ll be at least six months from now,” she said.
Taste Ipoh will be running two special promotions in celebration of its opening.
From Dec 19 to 31, all customers who buy a cup of Ipoh White Coffee will get a second cup for free.
During the same period, customers who join the eatery’s free membership programme will be entitled to 15 per cent off their entire bill.
Address: 252 North Bridge Rd, #B1-81, Raffles City Shopping Centre, Singapore 179103
Opening hours: 8am to 9.30pm daily (last order at 8.45pm)
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