⁠He left Singapore’s F&B grind for Bangkok—now, he runs a chicken rice chain with five outlets

Faced with high rental costs & manpower shortages, Enoch Teo made the call to shut his restaurant and start anew in Thailand

2025 has been a tough year for F&B businesses in Singapore, with more than 1,700 businesses shutting down as of this Aug. Spikes in rental and food costs, as well as difficulty finding reliable manpower, have caused 80% of local brands to lose money, and those still operating are running on thin profit margins of 5-7%.

As such, a growing number of local F&B establishments have been looking to nearby international markets, including Thailand, in hopes of incurring lower operating costs and increasing profits. While it might seem that the trend became apparent after the COVID-19 pandemic, Enoch Teo was an early mover, relocating to Thailand in 2019.

Since then, the 35-year-old has launched several F&B ventures there: Journey by Chef Enoch, Fatt Chicken, and Slim Pig Diner, and has experienced his share of failures and successes. Vulcan Post caught up with the Thailand-based chef and restaurateur to find out how he restarted from scratch and what it’s like establishing himself in a foreign market.

Moving to Thailand without a job offer

In 2018, Enoch decided to close his French restaurant in Singapore, Garcons, before relocating to Bangkok, Thailand in 2019, citing similar reasons of high rental and manpower costs and shortages.

“I found myself pretty jaded,” he admitted. “I moved to Thailand without any job offer, just one suitcase and a plan to continue my dreams of being a successful chef-restaurateur. So opening my own restaurant was necessary to start making any sort of income.”

When setting up his first business, Journey by Chef Enoch, he had two main considerations: the potential returns and the cost of setting up, which is a fraction of what it is in Singapore.

“Suppose you rent a space of 150sqm for your restaurant [in Bangkok], that is about S$4,000 [a month], which can probably only rent you a hawker stall in Singapore.” For reference, a restaurant with a floor size of 150sqm will be able to seat about 20-40 guests.

Business owners can also leverage on Bangkok’s larger population of 17 million. According to Enoch, most locals spend more on eating out and entertainment than the average Singaporean, despite having a lower average income. 

For Enoch, registering Journey only took two weeks, though that came with its own set of challenges. Setting up requires a Thai limited company, in which a Thai national must hold 51% or more of the company, except for entities under the Thai Board of Investment (BOI). 

Additionally, unlike Singapore, most of the legwork has to be done in physical offices, and there’s little that can be done online.

“I would recommend having a trustworthy local partner or corporate secretary to help with the application, as all of it is in Thai,” explained Enoch, adding that renovation only took a month, as he took over another establishment and their equipment.

Enoch also had a rare opportunity to compete in the second season of the cooking reality competition show The Next Iron Chef Thailand, emerging as a semi-finalist in 2020. Participating in the competition helped establish his and Journey’s presence in the Thai market and eventually led to cooking at multiple events afterward.

Bouncing back stronger after a failed debut

However, despite the exposure, Enoch soon realised he wasn’t getting the strong start he hoped for. He explained that, as foreigners, there is a tendency to select locations based on tourists’ or expats’ lifestyles, which can cause owners like him to overlook how locals live and what they need.

“It was very hard to get the right location in the city with parking, which is very important because most customers come by private car,” lamented Enoch.

He added that most locals were not into Singaporean dishes, as Thai cuisine has dishes that can be considered variations of Singaporean favourites, such as laksa being similar to kanom jeen, and rendang reminiscent of the Thai massaman curry. Another challenge he faced was learning a new language and work culture, where he had to take things slower than he would back home.

“If we rush too much, locals may find us very hard and unpleasant to work with. I learnt that the hard way when my first team of four to five staff left within a month,” revealed Enoch.

These mistakes led to poor footfall and a lack of consumer relatability, and Journey shuttered in 2020. Hence, Enoch decided to re-evaluate and continue honing his craft, even during the COVID-19 lockdown.

During this time, his love for Singaporean cuisine grew stronger, as his homesickness gave him more time to cook local dishes for himself and his friends. Some of these dishes included chicken rice, bak kut teh, and chilli crab. 

He found that those three dishes are also popular among the Thai audience, and fellow restaurateur John Junsunjai suggested starting a serious business. “That was how Fatt Chicken actually started, just two of us having the Singapore chicken rice that I made over a few drinks.”

Enoch launched Fatt Chicken in 2022, though his strategy has evolved since Journey. Instead of getting another shophouse space, he prioritised opening his restaurants in malls, as many locals visit on weekends or their day off as a one-stop location for dining, shopping, and getting groceries.

“I also had to adjust the taste to be stronger than the original Singaporean taste, as Thais have a palate for strong flavours. Portion sizes also had to be adjusted as Thais typically eat and spend less on a meal than the average Singaporean,” he added.

Enoch also found himself participating in another famous reality cooking competition show. This time, it was Top Chef Thailand in 2023, where he emerged as a finalist. Aside from gaining greater exposure, it also opened the doors for him to collaborate with Thai and Singaporean Chefs in both countries and to launch cooking classes in Thailand. 

Scaling isn’t the finish line

Within two years since its opening, Fatt Chicken has expanded to five malls in Bangkok, including Slim Pig Diner at Siam Paragon, a Hong Kong-style diner that opened in Nov 2025. 

But in an industry as volatile and ever-changing as F&B, keeping abreast of consumer habits is a must to survive and thrive, and Enoch doesn’t plan to stop there. 

Moving forward, the 35-year-old plans to open more small restaurants and kiosks to better accommodate the fast-dining requirements in Bangkok and is currently exploring opportunities to expand to other international markets, such as Dubai, Taipei, and Jakarta.

“I will also launch a new brand in 2026, so stay tuned!”

With any international expansion, Enoch echoes a sentiment shared by many other founders: having the right strategic local partners and connections can help them secure the best location that fits their needs at the best terms, outlet fit, and manage HR and operations.

“I think many Singaporean businesses overlook or underestimate the difficulty of establishing themselves in a new market,” he added. “I believe that if business owners can provide solutions to better the city and country, there are definitely opportunities.” 

Featured Image Credit: Fatt Chicken