As the Chief Operating Officer of local F&B heavyweight Creative Eateries, overseeing 17 restaurants and two catering companies under its umbrella, SMU alumna Bonnie Wong (BAcc & BBM, 2011) is one tough cookie indeed. How many of us can run one company, let alone 19?! Belying that youthful exterior is someone with a lot of maturity, grit, and chutzpah that comes with running a successful family business and constantly striving to bring the business to another level. Speaking to her, the excitement and pride in her voice is palpable as she waxes lyrical about creating new dining concepts to add to the burgeoning list (in fact, Restaurant Number 18 will be opening in a hotel in CBD in May 2019!). Yet, it's heartening to see Bonnie being humble of her capabilities, as well as the company's vast achievements, citing the success of Creative Eateries as a team effort. On top of being Lady Boss, Bonnie is loving mother to a baby boy; truly, one is awed at the number of hats this alumna wears. In fact, we want whatever elixir she is taking, haha!
Hi Bonnie! You graduated from SMU with double degrees in Accounting and Business Management – could you share with us about your journey after graduation?
After graduation, I started my career with PricewaterhouseCoopers as an Audit Associate. I then worked for a management consulting firm specialising in Media and Telecoms before joining the family business, Creative Eateries, after 2 years.
What inspired/motivated you to enter the family business? Moving from accounting to F&B industry, did you experience any culture shocks?
I come from a family of entrepreneurs, and running a business always seemed to be the natural path. I was in-between projects when there was a vacancy for the Marketing Manager position at Creative Eateries. I thought it was a good time to join the business since there was a role to fill, rather than a position specially created for me.
My father has always shared his experience in running the business, hence I had a realistic expectation of the culture of the company. However, it is true that running an SME is completely different from working as a professional in a large firm, for instance in SMEs you tend to need to “hustle” to get the job done.
Have you ever thought of entering culinary school?
I seriously contemplated it when I was at PwC (not enjoying life as an Auditor, and watching a lot of Masterchef). I told my father of my plan; he laughed, then continued working on his laptop! (Editor's note: hahaha! Fathers, eh?) He asked me to spend three months in the kitchen, then decide if I still wanted to study in culinary school. Also, the cost of culinary school was really expensive, and I was not ready to fork out my life savings for it.
Ever since joining the business, I’ve been so caught up in the corporate side of the business that there has been little time for professional study. I do, on my own time, read up on wines, and food, to bone up on knowledge and better equip myself in the F&B industry.
(Bonnie with her Dad, Anthony, at her wedding, a picture that perfectly symbolises their dynamic relationship)
What does a day in the life of the Creative Eateries’ COO look like?
Perhaps it is easier to explain a week in my life, as each day can be quite different. Every week, I attend four operations meetings, one for each of the divisions in the company, namely the (i) Thai restaurants, (ii) Japanese and Taiwanese restaurants, (iii) Western restaurants, and (iv) Catering Division. I also conduct two sales meetings per week. I spend at least two hours a day in the office, approving payments, reviewing leases and contracts etc. At least twice a week, I have a food tasting for a menu change, or a new restaurant that we are launching. All other available time is spent at networking events, or meeting potential clients to share our services with them. At night, I spend about one to two hours clearing my emails and reviewing the sales figures of the day. (Editor's note: Bonnie clearly has more than 24 hours a day! Gosh!)
(Bonnie, middle, with her staff at Bangkok Jam, one of the eateries under the Creative Eateries umbrella)
Being in a family business, there are certain challenges, expectations and pressures typically experienced by the next gen in any industry. Have you faced any, working with your father?
With regards to working with family, especially so closely with my Dad and sister, the key is ensuring that everyone is aligned with the same goal and vision, and that everything is communicated clearly. It surprisingly hasn't been too difficult. Yes, I sometimes stand up to my Dad when I disagree with him on certain matters or ideas about the business; he jokes that of all the COOs he has ever had, I'm the only one who has dared to say "NO" to him! In all seriousness though, we fully realise that we want the family business to flourish, to grow -- ultimately, it's about the business, it's not personal. This common understanding and goal is critical, and it helps to ensure that family relations aren't strained.
What would be some of the greatest challenges or pressures you have faced in the F&B industry, in your personal opinion?
Depending on the performance of the business, the pressures are different. When the government implemented the first round of cuts of foreign labour three years ago, we were not prepared with a central kitchen. The sudden drop in manpower affected the quality of our food adversely. In those years, we struggled to quickly find and build a central kitchen, even as our restaurants suffered financially. Making that call with my father to further invest in a challenged industry was difficult, but we believed that without the investment, the company could not go the distance. Today, many of our sauces for our chain stores and pastry are centrally produced, preparing us well for the continued cuts in foreign labour that the government is implementing.
I think my greatest challenge is creating a corporate culture that is proactive, positive and ready for change. Since I have joined the company, I have encouraged a flat working structure, where suggestions are always welcomed, and our team is not afraid of sharing their opinion of a management decision. We have quite successfully done this at the Operation Managers level; however, it is my goal for it to permeate the entire company.
(Bonnie with her family at the KPMG Enterprise 50 Awards Ceremony in 2017; Creative Eateries was named one of the Top 50 enterprises in Singapore)
Conversely, what is the most satisfying moment of your career in the F&B industry thus far?
While I do not spend a lot of my time assisting in operations, I really enjoy being in the frontline with my team on very busy days or periods, such as Formula 1, or New Year’s Eve for instance. As I was never trained in operations, my role when working in the restaurant is usually pouring beer, taking orders or clearing dishes. There is something very satisfying about working with your hands and being part of a team.
Did SMU prep you for your role at Creative Eateries?
It did, actually! Apart from learning accounting, all the project work taught me how to work in teams, that team work was absolutely necessary. It taught me how to sometimes step up to lead, and how to sometimes let go. It is the same at work, whereby I sometimes have to let my GM run things his way so that it enables him to feel valued, to feel that he adds value. That was an important lesson. Doing an exchange programme in Manchester, as well as a summer programme at St. Gallen University in Switzerland allowed me opportunities to travel around Europe, exposing me to different cuisines and completely opening my mind. This ultimately provided me with insights into the diverse, incredible world of gastronomy. Thanks SMU!
(Bonnie, second from left, with her SMU classmates whilst on exchange in Manchester)
What’s next for Creative Eateries, or for your path in the F&B industry or otherwise?
Today we have 11 restaurants in Malaysia, and three restaurants in Taiwan. Our company Mission is to sharpen our expertise as F&B operators and continue our overseas expansion into the region. We are focusing our efforts in Southeast Asia, specifically the Philippines and Vietnam. Our F&B establishments are branded on the concept of the restaurant, rather than around the founders, which we feel gives the business more longevity. We have no plans to pivot out of the F&B business, but continue to find partners to allow us to excel in different types of F&B concepts.
Do you have any advice for your SMU juniors who are thinking of making a career switch to join the F&B industry?
Be prepared to get your hands dirty! Many times it is an all-hands-on-deck situation, and as leaders of the company, we must always be willing to work alongside our team.
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Under the Creative Eateries umbrella are the following restaurants and catering companies:
