Meet the Founders of Laut Collective

Inside the minds of the men behind Singapore's latest chic F&B venture

There’s nothing more uplifting than to hear stories of entrepreneurial grit and passion in these extraordinary times. So here’s one for my Substack fam:

Meet Frank and Leon, the dynamic duo behind Laut Collective, a chic, sustainable farm to table restaurant in Telok Ayer slated for an official launch in early April. Undeterred by COVID-19, these enterprising gentlemen quickly pivoted for a soft online launch, complete with an e-commerce checkout + physical delivery service islandwide. Having cut their teeth in the F&B world for a decade, their latest F&B venture merges their passion for bartending together with Asean region’s rich culinary culture, made famous by the foodie scenes in the movie Crazy Rich Asians.

Meet the Founders

Frank is an activist and a pioneer in promoting the Craft Beer movement in Singapore and was invited to judge the Asia Beer Awards 2018.

In early 2018, Frank opened his own bar — American Taproom — to bring his passion directly to consumers. Being at the forefront with discerning consumers gives him full understanding of Singapore’s palate and helps him to source for more new and better beers worldwide.

In 2019, Frank started representing Asia Brewery Young Master (HK) in Singapore. In 2020, he founded Laut Collective with Leon.

An arts graduate, Leon honed his bartending skills working in cocktail bars such as Native and Nutmeg & Clove in Singapore, eventually turning his passion for F&B into a full time calling. He is a firm believer that a cocktail bar is the last bastion for human interactions, a place to enjoy a conversation, share experiences and make new friends.

Leon likes to travel to experience different cultures and meet new people, leading him to visit distilleries, wineries, breweries and farms all over the region. Here’s a picture of them together at a kelong, a historical fishing structure that can be seen in Laut’s brand imagery.

I always love a good entrepreneurial story that uplifts our region, so I did a short remote Q&A with Frank and Leon on Laut Collective:

Describe what this region (Asean) means to you. How is it different from other regions in this world? 

F & L: We have great produce, ingredients and a culture that is unique to other parts of the world. 

Laut’s Squid Gado Gado, inspired by the sea and Indonesia’s well-loved salad dish.

Laut’s Thunder Tea Rice, a modern interpretation of the classic Hakka dish Lei Cha Fan.

Laut’s bar-inspired twist on the Peranakan and Malay Otah fish dish.

Describe a memorable dinner. Where and what did you eat?

Leon: Had a great and memorable food experience in Bangkok. The process of the dishes were carefully curated in Thai culture, farm produce, and terroir. We had the rice from a rice paddy field in Chiang Mai, the meat from retiring buffalos of the paddy field, and bananas from the farm surroundings.

Frank: We a had 10-12 course tasting menu at Kabi in Tokyo (Meguro). We were seated at the dining counter right in front of their open kitchen. Dishes that came out were made using local ingredients. The interaction between the guests and the staff was amazing. The exchange of information was intense. We also had the honour of meeting a farmer who grows vegetables only for this restaurant.

What are your three favorite quotes?

Leon: From my National Service Days: The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday. We have to submerge to emerge.

Frank: Those that mind don’t matter, and those that matter don’t mind.

What has been your greatest sacrifice in creating Laut?

Leon: Time. For family, friends. 

Leaving previous employment in a friend’s bar which was recognised globally. Not traveling (pre-lock down) to stay grounded and to create a strong foundation for Laut.

Frank: Managing time between my other restaurant American Taproom, representing Young Master Brewery (HK) in Singapore, whilst creating and setting up Laut.

How does building Laut nourish you and others around you?

Leon: I get to share our unique culture and produce to a global audience, which would hopefully help our craftsmen and farmers.

Frank: Creating Laut helps me to understand South East Asian culture, deepdive into it and find many interesting things we never knew.

From there, we want to share and educate people around us about the whole region, from farm/kelong to consumers.

The more we know, the more we share.

What legacy do you want to leave behind? 

Leon: For South East Asia to be recognised as a culturally driven and progressive as a F&B destination.

Frank: I want to inspire more people to take (calculated) risks and do what they love. If you never try, you will never know.

Laut Collective has a delivery menu available for both food and drinks. Here are some fan pics:

Pic credit: Emma, a hot single female fintech lawyer working for one of China’s largest internet companies. She loves the thunder tea rice, and claims it tastes like risotto. Closeup of the egg plant dip and papadums from my phone from a separate delivery (thanks Henri!):

I also got a vodka bottle from their cocktail menu, called Dragonfruit. Watch my IGTV review here.

Till then, stay safe and blessed. And share the love for Laut Collective with your friends.