Intro
Davis Ng is a professional boxer, chef, and founder of Kumari BBQ and BaconKing.sg, Singapore’s first fusion of Texan-style barbecue and Japanese flavors. He’s also the WBC Asia Silver Middleweight Champion, a title earned after more than a decade of balancing two worlds — the intensity of professional fighting and the discipline of culinary craftsmanship.
In this episode, we talk about Davis’s journey from culinary school to the boxing ring, how a backyard bacon experiment became a thriving business, and the lessons he’s learned from pressure, loss, and persistence. From cooking brisket for 12 hours to cutting weight for a fight, Davis’s story is about grit, focus, and staying true to your craft.
Story Highlights
- Starting boxing at 15 and training under the same coach for 11 years
- Winning the WBC Asia Silver Middleweight Championship
- How a class on curing meats led to his first business, BaconKing.sg
- Turning a backyard hobby into a full-fledged smokehouse
- Balancing entrepreneurship, family, and competition
Quote
“Things like that in professional boxing happen. Yeah, so you just gotta take it and move on and be stronger.”
About Davis Ng
Davis Ng is a Singaporean professional boxer and chef, best known as the founder of Kumari BBQ and BaconKing.sg, which combine Texas-style barbecue with Japanese flavors. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America (Singapore), Davis trained at LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue in Austin, Texas, before returning home to start his own concept. Alongside his culinary career, he has competed in over 40 boxing matches, earning the WBC Asia Silver Middleweight title.
Why This Conversation Matters
Davis’s story captures what it means to balance extremes — sport and business, intensity and patience, risk and reward. His evolution from student to champion and from chef to entrepreneur shows that mastery often comes through trial and error. It’s about staying adaptable while pursuing excellence in any craft.
Turning Points
What began as a culinary school experiment with bacon turned into a home business that grew faster than expected. As orders piled up, Davis turned his passion into a brand — BaconKing.sg — and later expanded into Kumari BBQ, a dine-in smokehouse fusing Texas techniques with Japanese ingredients. At the same time, he continued to train and compete, juggling long nights at the smoker with early morning sparring sessions. Winning the WBC Asia Silver Middleweight Championship marked not just a personal milestone but proof of his philosophy: keep showing up, no matter how hard it gets.
Key Lessons
- Discipline is universal. The same focus that wins fights can build businesses.
- Failure teaches faster than success. Every loss becomes data for the next round.
- Authenticity connects. Craftsmanship and heart always show through.
- Support systems matter. Family and friends make big dreams possible.
- Adaptation keeps you alive. Whether in sport or business, you evolve or you stall.
If You Enjoyed This Episode
You might also like:
- Anthony Yeoh on French Comfort Food and the Future of Dining — exploring creativity and leadership in kitchens.
- Kenneth Tay on Fighting, Failure, and Finding Balance — about discipline and mental resilience.