Intro
Yeo Min is the author of Chinese Pastry School, founder of Pastories Bakery, and co-founder of the Museum of Food Singapore, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and educating the public about local food heritage.
In this conversation, we explore how Yeo Min left her career in social work to study pastry, what drew her to traditional Chinese pastries, and how she’s balancing creativity, entrepreneurship, and cultural preservation. From her “cool aunt” sneaking her to McDonald’s as a kid to writing one of the first English-language cookbooks on Chinese pastries, Yeo Min’s story is both deeply personal and profoundly local — a look at how food can connect past, present, and identity.
Story Highlights
- The accidental journey from social worker to pastry chef
- How she met her mentor, Chef Pang, and fell in love with heritage baking
- Why she wrote Chinese Pastry School to document disappearing crafts
- The challenge of pricing and sustaining heritage food businesses
- Building the Museum of Food Singapore to preserve culinary memory
Quote
“I feel like we need to be more proud of our food heritage, like our food heritage, and just, just sell it. Don’t be shy about it and just be proud of it like any other person.”
About Yeo Min
Yeo Min is a Singapore-based pastry chef, author, and food heritage advocate. After working in social services, she pursued pastry school and discovered her calling in traditional Chinese pastries. She later founded Pastories Bakery, co-founded the Museum of Food Singapore, and published Chinese Pastry School — a first-of-its-kind guide to the craft, science, and stories behind Asian pastries. Her work bridges research, education, and entrepreneurship, bringing forgotten food traditions to a new generation.
Why This Conversation Matters
Yeo Min’s story captures what it means to redefine heritage in modern Singapore. Her reflections on craft, pricing, and pride shed light on how traditions survive only when they adapt. In a city obsessed with innovation, she reminds us that preservation is also progress — that being proud of where our food comes from is the first step toward keeping it alive.
Turning Points
From making dumplings in a London dorm room to studying pastry in Singapore, Yeo Min’s evolution was sparked by curiosity. Meeting Chef Pang shifted her direction from Western-style baking to heritage pastries, and the closure of old pastry shops deepened her resolve to document traditional techniques. Writing Chinese Pastry School became both a research mission and a love letter to her culture. Through the Museum of Food, she’s extending that mission — teaching children, families, and visitors that food is not just flavor but history.
Key Lessons
- Heritage evolves. Tradition survives through adaptation, not imitation.
- Pride is preservation. Value comes from seeing local food as craft, not commodity.
- Education drives change. When people know the story, they’re willing to pay for it.
- Mentorship matters. Knowledge must be passed down to stay alive.
- Creativity can serve culture. Innovation and respect can coexist in the kitchen.
If You Enjoyed This Episode
You might also like:
- Ariff Zin on Heritage, Reinvention, and the Future of Nasi Padang — reimagining tradition through innovation.
- Anthony Yeoh on French Comfort Food and the Future of Dining — how chefs adapt heritage for modern tastes.