Creating beautiful works of art to feast on is something that Janice Wong has prided herself on doing.
In celebration of Janice’s 12th year anniversary since starting 2am:dessertbar at Holland Village, she has created a special 12-item a la carte menu featuring some of her past signatures.
These include the Cacao Forest, Chili Chocolate, Shades of Purple, 5 Tastes of Chocolate, as well as classics such as the Green Tea Tart, Chocolate Praline Poprocks Cake and more. Even though she has opened in other places such as MGM Cotai in Macau and Tokyo, the initial opening at Holland Village is something that she holds most dear to her heart.
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Popspoken: What was the most memorable occasion since you started this business?Â
Janice Wong: It was actually the opening that was the most memorable for me. It was a very new concept in Singapore at the time, and it was very exciting to introduce this new concept to our guests. I still look back to our opening period with a lot of fond memories.
Popspoken: Did you suffer from impostor syndrome when you first started working for yourself?Â
Janice Wong: Definitely, I think having doubts about your own accomplishments is inevitable, and it comes every now and then along the way. I overcome it by maintaining my focus on the product that we’re working on and putting my energy into making it the best that I can.
Popspoken: The turnover rate for F&B outlets in Singapore is very high. Any advice you would give to aspiring business owners, or owners who started but failed, however would like to try again?
Janice Wong: My advice would be to really think through the concept again. Of course, we have to be aware of competition in the industry, so it’s also important to see if there’s any space for innovation as well.
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Popspoken: Who do you look up to for inspiration?
Janice Wong:Â One chef I am inspired by is Grant Achatz. Other role models that I look up to are not chefs; my works are a result of what I do as both a chef and an artist, so people like Zaha Hadid and Walt Disney, who both excelled and pushed the boundaries in their respective fields, also inspire me significantly.
Popspoken: With such a hectic schedule, how do you unwind?Â
Janice Wong: After a long day of hard work, I like to take a night cap just to relax. It’s usually Macallan on the rocks. Other than that, I do binge watch on Netflix to destress too. I like to watch inspirational films, and I also practice a lot of Yoga nowadays.
Popspoken: What is a trait that you deplore most in others?
Janice Wong:Â Pride.
Popspoken: As a female in a male-dominated F&B industry, could you share with us an instance when you felt marginalised and how did you react?Â
Janice Wong: I don’t find this as apparent in Singapore, though maybe I’ve experienced some instances overseas where the choice of chefs is mainly male. But as mentioned, it is a male dominated industry so it’s fair that there are a lot of male chefs. I’m lucky to have had relatively pleasant experiences so far.
The special 12-course ala carte menu is available till 15 December 2019.Â
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