Former Chinese news anchor Wang Yanqing has opened a new food and beverage venture with her daughter Isha.
Speaking to 8World Vibes in an interview released today (Aug 21), the Shanghai-born 53-year-old introduced their new eatery Bund & Toss, which specialises in Shanghai noodle dishes and wanton.
She shared that she listened to Isha’s opinions during the conceptualisation: “She felt that our menu should be youthful and casual, so I said, why don’t you try something creative?”
Yanqing, who’s now Singaporean, added that the word “bund” plays on the Chinese word “ban”, meaning mixed, as well as the Chinese expression “What to do?”, which was a major consideration for them when they were discussing their dishes with the chef.
She believed that the name of their eatery, which is located at 111 Somerset Road, resonates with concerns that youths face in the workplace and everyday life today.
She explained: “Young people in the workplace or facing the impact of artificial intelligence are having their experiences redefined. What should they do?
“Mixing sauces and ingredients together is like a microcosm of Singapore’s multiculturalism. Everyone needs to blend together to create a good flavour.”
When setting up the business, including designing the brand logo, Yanqing revealed that she and 24-year-old Isha “quarrelled a lot”.
However, she believed it was for the better: “The ideas of two generations can collide. We should listen to the opinions of young people, and young people should also listen to our ideas.”
Isha, who majored in animation, revealed that she did a lot of online research on interior design when creating their brand logo.
“I didn’t know where to start at first, but with the shop’s name and the playful vibes, I just started drawing. I chose red because it stimulates appetite, and I also referenced the colour schemes of many restaurants popular with youths before piecing these elements together,” she said.
Yanqing, who came to Singapore for work when she was 21, is no stranger to the local F&B industry.
8Days reported in 2020 that more than a decade ago while she was still in the media industry, she co-owned Shanghai eatery Yan’s Private Dining in Bukit Timah and Chjimes. She closed both outlets in 2008 when she was sent to work in Shanghai.
After a decade there, she returned to Singapore in 2019 and opened the 100-seater Yan’s Dining Fine Shanghai Cuisine Restaurant at Mandarin Gallery, which is still in operation today.
Bund & Toss has also collaborated with local filmmaker Anthony Chen to host an afternoon tea panel discussion for his new film We Are All Strangers, which will be held on Aug 22 from 2pm to 5pm.
The film centres on Lim Junyang (Koh Jia Ler) and his hawker father Boon Kiat (Andi Lim), whose lives unravel when Junyang and his girlfriend Lydia (Regene Lim) are forced to confront unexpected adult realities.
Their household core relationship dynamics are further disrupted when vivacious beer lady Lee Bee Hwa (Yeo Yann Yann) joins their family.
Anthony, together with the four abovementioned actors, will be attending the sharing session moderated by Yanqing. Tickets are available through Peatix.
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yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com
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