SEforum chats with Shiao Yin, one of three founders of social enterprise Food For Thought (FFT), for  new happenings at FFT and the vision of the newly launched FFT @8Q.

SEforum: What was the inspiration behind Food For Thought (FFT) @8Q?

We–the three directors of School of Thought–had already ventured into the first FFT in 2007. We wanted to create an opportunity to reach out more to members of the public who were not teachers or students (the group which is most exposed and interested in our work). We thought a cafe would be an interesting way to model our beliefs about the point of good education–a certain way of life, making certain type of choices.

FFT was always a tricky act to balance because it was always meant to be more than a cafe. It had to balance out a lot of higher ideals and social values that the School of Thought advocated.

Firstly, we always meant to be a welcoming, people-friendly space where you could see the workers were well treated and happy to be in community with each other and thus pass on that hopeful, other-person centred vibe to the customers. We deliberately created a bar counter and open kitchen concept because it opened up interaction between the staff and the customers. Secondly, we wanted the food to be fairly priced and generous in portion but not overwhelming so that it promoted greed and wastage.

Thirdly, FFT was also conceived to be a place which would promote exceptional merchandise created by good people for good causes. It would also run events that gathered people to discuss issues and contribute meaningfully to local and regional needs. Unfortunately, very early on we realised the first FFT was way too small and faced many physical constraints to allow this to happen well. Thus this third goal was kept on the back burner.

Though it is far from perfect, the first FFT managed to accomplish these two goals to a degree we are fairly happy with. Much of this is because we lucked upon our executive chef, David Heng, from the start. He is a rare breed of young chef, classically trained at Le Cordon Bleu and experienced in fine dining restaurants but not in the business to cook his way to the top. He is in it out of a love of cooking for people and serving them personally. People go to FFT not just because of what they know about School of Thought but also because of the personable culture and good food David has created with his team.

So FFT @8Q was a natural offshoot of unfulfilled ambitions from FFT North Bridge. Since 2008, we, including David, had always been on the lookout for a larger restaurant space enough to run events and showcase merchandise as well as allow David to fully explore his cooking talent. We were specifically looking for public spaces which were meaningful to building communities like libraries, universities or parks. When the staff of 8Q dropped by for lunch at FFT North Bridge and mentioned they were looking for tenants, we put in our pitch. We secured it around the October – November 2009 period and work began full swing in December 2009 to January 2010.

SEforum: What is your favourite part about the latest 8Q?

The fact that it is so much more spaced out, well-lit and better ventilated than the North Bridge outlet, allowing people more space to comfortably relax and take a breather!

The dramatic merchandise shelf that arches out to meet our glass jar installation puts our desire to do more good events and good products for good causes front and centre. It is a personal challenge and good reminder to me every time I enter the restaurant! It is both an exciting and intimidating thing to look at because retail and events planning is a completely new addition to our portfolio of works.

SEforum: What is your favourite product (or one you would recommend to customers) and why?

Hmm I like everything on the shelf! I love our updated Chinese Chess set and Pre-loved books because I love the idea of mashing-up old and new. Sao Mao’s organically grown Kampot pepper is a great example of a high quality product with a moving story of Cambodia’s push to develop itself. Little Drom Store’s cards made by local independent graphic designers are very beautifully made and meaningful to send out to encourage others. Lovely Taiwan’s wooden cat has got a superb feel though it looks deceivingly simple. And I have to say Homespun’s Good Morning Towel interpretations–bibs, oven mitts and tissue box covers–make great gifts and instant talking points.

SEforum:. What is unique about FFT (both branches) as a social enterprise?

I think FFT is unique because it is not a standalone social enterprise hoping to solve a social need from one angle.

FFT is unique because the Thought Collective is unique: we work at a social problem from many angles through our different businesses. The problem we focus on is personal and public apathy. Our mission is to align our pursuit of education away from self-centredness to centre on what’s happening all around us and how we can be part of the solution. Every time we see another angle to approach our mission and we see that it aligns with a need in the market, we start a business it seems! So I think our approach is unique.

SEforum: What advice do you have for aspiring social entrepreneurs?

Don’t copy others. God has sown in you particular dreams, inclinations and whims that just might be the solution to someone else’s dreams. If you have done some number crunching, market watching and your gut instinct says it is good and it will work, it is worth giving a shot.

Ideas are cheap but execution is hard. You have to work at your ideas, refine them, test them, go out on a limb for them and even change them if it looks like a dead end. Whatever it is, never just sit around spinning fabulous ideas over kopi with your kakis. Ideas are meaningless without your intentionally going out to live them out and MAKE THEM WORK (as Project Runway’s Tim would say!)

Be kind to customers and give them a good or service that is worth paying for–again and again and again. That’s a guarantee for success.

Don’t bring down the name of social enterprises and charity by forcing people to buy a lousy and ugly product out of sympathy!

For more information, visit http://www.foodforthought.com.sg/Food_For_Thought.html. Food for Thought @8Q is located at 8 Queen Street Singapore 188535.

Tags: Ethical Consumption, Food & Beverage, merchandise

This entry was posted on Friday, February 19th, 2010 at 2:37 pm and is filed under Conversation, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.