There might be some who will point to the fact that Leong was approached to open the restaurant by an old family friend who runs several companies, and say that he got his break because of his famous parents: Chefs Sam and Forest Leong.
Sam, after all, has long been one of Singapore’s OG celebrity chefs, having helmed Michelin-starred restaurant Forest, served as corporate chef and director of kitchens for Tung Lok Group, authored books, and been a staple on variety shows on Channel 8 like Star Chef and King Of The Kitchen; and Thailand-born Forest is known for her Thai cuisine, cooking classes and cookbooks.
But this will not bother Joe, who has made his peace with the shadow of his famous father. Years of working in kitchens where slights like, “You’re Sam Leong’s son and you don’t know how to do this?” were levelled at him have taught him how to turn criticism into motivation.
“If people work 10 hours, I work 12 hours. If people work 15 hours, I work 24 hours, so I can catch up to their expectations,” said Joe, who quipped that he hasn’t slept in the last 10 years.