The Free Spirit

Who are you?

I'm Min Chan, owner and operator of two restaurants - Club Street Social and Decker Barbecue. I'm incredibly passionate about the food and beverage business. I started out as a management trainee at Raffles Hotel years ago, doing everything from being a receptionist to a concierge, but I knew very quickly that I was happiest in food service. Today, despite my hectic schedule running two restaurants, I always find time to read up on global dining trends to see how I can bring something new to the table.

What drives you?

I do what I do everyday because I love the people I interact with. I'm not chasing money or recognition - what I enjoy most is making someone's day better, whether that person is a staff member or a customer. I'm very hands-on in service and know almost every regular customer who comes to my restaurants.

What do you do in your free time?

I cook a lot. I have a lot of chef friends and we do regular "family dinners" together. Our latest project was slow-smoking, then charcoal-grilling, a 10 kg bone-in ribeye. We ate steak till we fell over - we literally had meat sweats - all in the name of research and development! Food aside, I work out a lot to stay fit and sane. As a child, I was a pretty serious athlete, but I hadn't been very active until last year when I became a born-again exercise enthusiast. Now I sleep early, wake up every day to go to yoga, and also train at a gym called Ritual at least three times a week. Ritual gives me a full workout in just 20 minutes; I'm in and out of the gym within 35 minutes. Perfect for my tight schedule.

Finish this sentence. I'm inspired by... world cuisines. The restaurant business is full-on, so I don't get to take weekends off for quick getaways. So once a year, I take a trip to a country and explore its food culture. This November, I've planned a solo trip to Marrakesh because I've always been interested in North African cuisine. Last year, I spent 10 days in Mexico, and the year before that, Italy.

This series is brought to you by MINI to inspire and awaken the passion and creativity within you. Are you a Free Spirit like Min? If you think you fit the bill, email helmi@sph.com.sg to say why, plus a photo of yourself. We'll pick the best entries and feature the individuals on this page.