Far East Organization wins at Asian Innovation Excellence Awards 2025

Chef X nurtures Singapore’s next generation of culinary entrepreneurs through rent-free residencies.

Far East Organization won Singapore Social Innovation of the Year - Retail in the Asian Innovation Excellence Awards 2025 for Chef X, Singapore’s first rotating, rent-free chef residency concept designed to empower aspiring culinary entrepreneurs.

Launched in April 2024 at Clarke Quay Central, Chef X transforms a fully equipped 24-seat restaurant into a pop-up dining space where home-based and self-taught chefs can test their business ideas through four- or eight-week residencies. The initiative responds to the growing number of home-based and private dining businesses that emerged during the pandemic, offering these chefs a pathway from clicks to bricks.

Participants receive mentorship from industry veteran Chef Isaac Tan of Commonwealth Concepts, alongside marketing and publicity support to help them build brand visibility and attract loyal customers. The model addresses key pain points for emerging chefs, such as high overhead costs and limited exposure, whilst refreshing the retail experience for diners with ever-changing culinary concepts.

By July 2025, Chef X produced measurable results: two alumni opened their own restaurants, whilst another secured investor funding. Resident chefs reported significant improvements in visibility, confidence, and customer engagement, with sales increasing between 25% and 100% compared to their home-based operations.

Despite early challenges in convincing home-based chefs and the public of the model’s viability, Far East Organization built credibility through transparency and storytelling. Site walkthroughs, peer sharing, and media collaborations helped establish Chef X as a trusted launchpad for new culinary talent.

Looking ahead, Chef X represents a scalable model for inclusive growth in Singapore’s food and retail landscape. By lowering entry barriers and fostering experimentation, it demonstrates how retail spaces can evolve into platforms that nurture talent and support community-driven innovation.

The Asian Innovation Excellence Awards honours companies that achieve measurable outcomes and address key challenges through innovation and operational improvement, recognising initiatives that drive meaningful progress across diverse industries in the region.

The Asian Innovation Excellence Awards is presented by Asian Business Review. To view the full list of winners, click here. For more information on the awards programme, you may contact Julie Anne Nuñez-Difuntorum at (+65) 3158 1386 ext 242 or at [email protected].