ToTT, or Tools of The Trade for the uninitiated, is a 5 month old venture by the Sia Huat group and is the largest kitchenware and tableware retail store in Asia. Sia Huat, on the other hand, has been in the In spite of this, both father and daughter are quick to add that the learning curve has been a steep one. For the bistro, they found it challenging to manage a team of food and beverage personnel. One of its brand partners is Zebra, a household kitchenware manufacturer based in Thailand. Sometimes, these observations would lead him to take action. Ms Tan recalls him convincing German knife manufacturer Giesser in the 1990s to produce a line of Asian-style kitchen knives, after he found that the Japanese Santoku bocho (general purpose kitchen knife) was popular in Asia. AS an award-winning bilingual R&B/soul singer-songwriter, Sarah Cheng-De Winne has been reaching out to audiences with her soulful voice. It didn’t take long before they started streaming into the … He might be quite bored.". The company is co-owned by Mr Tan and his siblings. Sia Huat is also the exclusive distributor for cookware brands Jamie Oliver and Nordic Ware, cheeseware brand Boska and Grant Primo sous vide machines. ToTT – that’s Tools of The Trade – sells kitchenware and tableware, while Sia Huat sells foodservice equipment. ToTT – that’s Tools of The Trade – sells kitchenware and tableware, while Sia Huat sells foodservice equipment. ToTT’s main audience are homeowners, private cooks and bakers, mostly the public who are interested in hosting at home. In 2010, Sia Huat started ToTT Store, a 36,000 sqf integrated concept store comprising of a bistro, two cooking studios, a Bake&Go counter, children’s play area, fine food store, and a comprehensive retail space to help you create unique culinary moments for your family and friends. ToTT’s main audience are homeowners, private cooks and bakers, mostly the public who are interested in hosting at home. At the Her grandfather founded ToTT's parent company Sia Huat, which started in 1959 in Temple Street selling kitchenware to industrial kitchens, restaurants and chefs. online sales. and placards labelled “congratulations Sia Huat!” when he realised it was less Join the Challenge. Our Partners. To access the details of the store (locations, opening hours, website and current offers) click on the address or the store name. Southeast Asia’s largest distributor of said products. After my wedding I guess, when I have more time to bake. You could put a small child in them," she says. For folks who likes to cook or those who likes to buy gadgets, plates, cups, cutlery etc… you should be familiar with Sia Huat (in Chinatown) and also ToTT (at the Sime Darby building in Bukit Timah). Perhaps, it could even become a tourist destination.". main audience are homeowners, private cooks and bakers, mostly the public who Promotion only available during Sia Huat Warehouse Sale 2017. Sia Huat opened ToTT in October 2010. The ToTT store is basically a kitchenware wonderland (also Asia’s largest kitchen store) consisting of a mega huge showroom with everything neatly presented on shelves and with plenty of space to walk in between and just shop at your leisure. The new place was to be named ToTT (Tools of the Trade) and was going to be a subsidiary venture from Sia Huat, another existing kitchenware store that has been around for say quite a while. The next time you dine outside, check the brand of the tableware. A main But in a work environment, a certain amount of professionalism has to be maintained even when we have our differences.". Ms Grace Tan is the director of household kitchenware retailer and lifestyle store ToTT (Tools of The Trade), while Mr Tan is the chief executive of ToTT's parent company Sia Huat, which sells kitchenware to industrial kitchens, restaurants and chefs. numerous suppliers. A few times a year, he goes on sourcing trips to Europe, the United States and China, where he susses out the latest homeware trends and catches up with fellow industry professionals, many of whom have become his friends. The company noticed a … He says: "I'm not trying to brag, but if someone wants to duplicate our concept, it won't be easy. While it remains to be seen what will be next for ToTT, one thing is certain: Mr Tan's steadfast love for his job. Sia Huat opened ToTT in October 2010. It does not matter if the names do not ring a bell. The page gained some 8,000 likes within the first year and now has nearly 66,000 likes and about 65,400 followers. The then 12-year-old manned the cashier with her grandfather. Grace says that the shopping I don't know what he would do if he retired. Long before the event started, members from SHC have already been waiting eagerly at the registration, helmed by Emy and Michelle. "He is always on the lookout to improve things," says Ms Tan. “The trend of cooking shows, like Masterchef, back 8 years move into the wider array of household items came with Choon Boon’s idea of ToTT's in-store kitchens - where cooking classes and demonstrations and birthday parties can be held - are also popular. Her husband is Taiwanese-American Wen Huang, 40, who works as a senior advisory consultant with Amazon Web Services. They talked about the issue and Ms Tan now reports to her aunt Katherine. ToTT is a 36,000sqf kitchen wonderland that offers an unparalleled range of dining and kitchenware products. They initially offered the studios for cooking classes only, but later realised they were under-utilising the space. Special bundle deals. "He is always finding ways to better the designs of tableware, so that the dining experience for both diners and servers can be enhanced," she says. Our Partners. Yes, the world is that small. 7, 9 & 11 Temple Street Singapore 058559 T : +65 6223 1732 His youngest sister Katherine, 61, is Sia Huat's executive director, but their five other siblings are not involved in the business. Mr Tan also worked with a local manufacturer last year to design a set of tableware that is aimed at changing the way Chinese combination platters - usually used at wedding dinners and large family meals - are designed. The funny thing is, he has the answers ready and written down on a piece of paper - he just cannot say it. Although the reporting structure has changed, she still consults her "father-boss" up to three times a week to exchange ideas with him or discuss how to increase sales. Ms Tan recalls that in the early days, although they knew they wanted to position ToTT as a business-to-consumer concept, they also stocked industrial mixers in the store. By then, Ms Tan's husband had secured a job here and the couple had moved back to Singapore. In the early 1990s, Ms Tan began helping out in the business. Sia Huat opened ToTT in October 2010. 14 … Reply to Ann Low . I venture again: "How valuable is Ms Tan to the business? As Ms Tan says: "I fully support his direction. ToTT ran a series of demonstration cooking classes by some of the guest chefs which they'd been working with over the last year or so. Described Her key contributions during this period were helping to launch Sia Huat's first product catalogue and working on refreshing the logo design and branding for Cerabon and Safico. All Rights Reserved. "There are far fewer resignations now," says Mr Tan. He says, “many of those brands we represent also made It’s not It wasn’t a name for itself doing a few things Sia Huat had not tried – customer You just need to look at the merchandise mix that we have.". a free 5 day skincare plan. Its flagship store in Dunearn Road turns seven this year. Corporate Office / Showroom / Warehouse No. ToTT – that’s Tools of The Trade – sells Even at family dinners, Ms Tan says, her father will remind her to follow up with certain clients and regale them with stories of his early days and experiences in the company. Mr Tan Choon Boon is the chief executive of Sia Huat, which sells kitchenware to industrial kitchens, restaurants and chefs, while his daughter Grace is the director of household kitchenware retailer and lifestyle store ToTT (Tools of The Trade). More cupcake kits… love the pretty cupcake cases! Suntec: 3 Temasek Blvd, #02-427 Singapore 038983. customers. Thank you for your prompt reply, Ann. That year, I helped to co­or­di­nate Sia Huat’s 50th an­niver­sary cel­e­bra­tion, along with the de­vel­op­ment of our new busi­ness con­cept, Tools of the Trade (ToTT), which opened in Oc­to­ber 2010. When I see pretty cupcake cases like these, I always have the urge to buy. With his vision and drive, he had succeeded in securing several weighty brand partners under his belt by the time he took over managing the company in the 1980s. In fact, ", His answer: "My youngest sister, whom Grace reports to, cannot handle things without her around.". Redeem it while stocks last! time, he felt the houseware business signified another opportunity for his a combination of said stores but is also uniquely suitable for our home-grown How about an X-mas cupcake kit? Ms Tan, who rejoined Sia Huat in … Everything was laid out nicely and neatly shelf after shelf, complete with name labels and prices. each other’s market territory. Official Venue – ToTT. ToTT Store and Sia Huat. It takes the space of the ToTT bistro, which closed in February. *While stocks last! Boasting over 30,000 kitchen items from top-grade pots and pans, cooking tools, fine bone china, and baking utensils in every size imaginable, you know that Sia Huat is the real deal. As the only one of three children in the business, some may think that Ms Tan is under pressure to fill her father's shoes. It is more important that the company is managed by the right person, regardless of family ties.". Chances are, it is Cerabon or Safico. Its flagship store in Dunearn Road turns seven this year. The event was held at Tott by Sia Huat at the Sime Darby Centre along Dunearn Road in Upper Bukit Timah. "These mixers came up to my waist. What is noteworthy is that they are developed here and retail in leading local department and kitchenware stores. • ToTT Store (Suntec City/Century Square) • Sia Huat’s store (Temple Street) About the Employer. kitchenware and tableware, while Sia Huat sells foodservice equipment. hotels in Singapore, we were in the right place to grow, something we had been sides with economies of scale. Limited to 250 Redemption/ Per Day! He observed a growing trend of people who enjoy cooking and hosting meals at home. 21K likes. Sia Huat carries more than 30,000 products across more than 300 brands, while ToTT carries about 200 brands, of which 70 per cent are from Sia Huat and the other 30 per cent are brand partners that work directly with ToTT. Mr Tan explains to me why he would rather not reveal how he feels about his daughter as his employee. By then, Ms Tan's husband had secured a job here and the couple had moved back to Singapore. Break bad skincare habits and learn the secrets to effortless, effective natural skincare. It was so spacious as compared to the Sia Huat Store in Chinatown. CK Tang liked the product and that deal marked Sia Huat's entry into the retail distribution business. Grace says, They can conduct up to 12 classes a week and have hosted up to six parties on weekends. She says without going into specifics: "As a father, he is not very authoritarian and I can speak to him casually. In 2013, it was decided that Ms Tan would be stationed at ToTT to provide stronger management and guidance to the team there. So I did make it to ToTT over the weekend. A one … His younger daughter, 35, is a housewife and his son, 30, works in the logistics industry. So from 2005 to 2010, he and a team of five thought about how to launch a differentiated concept from Sia Huat that would appeal to homeowners. capturing new markets while leveraging on Sia Huat’s already established trade A second outlet opened at Suntec City in 2015. He leans forward and has plenty to say. Some photos of the event (Source: Big Box) But the truth was, the ToTT concept was new and they had no experience managing cooking studios, much less a bistro. Its e-commerce arm has seen sales increase by 10 per cent between its launch in 2014 and last year and the store's total sales have increased by 59 per cent since its opening. After all, this is the place where chefs and restaurateurs come to shop. Sia Huat Singapore carries an extensive range of products for the professional or home chef. Originally established as a house wares store in 1959, Sia Huat sells everything from pots and pans to high-quality knives, kettles, glassware, patterned placemats, and even pasta-making machines. Its flagship store in Dunearn Road turns seven this year. Housed in the Sime Darby Building along Dunearn Road (across Methodist Girls School), ToTT certainly lives up to … as “complete and comprehensive” by their customers, ToTT’s mainstay is the The manufacturer rolled out the products here and the knives sold so well that Giesser soon added them to its various product lines. both companies have had to adapt to changes. Terms & Conditions © 99%SME. In 2013, ToTT received international recognition when it was awarded the Global Innovation Award - which recognises excellence in houseware retail and design - by the International Housewares Association in the US. Recommendations from Wen's Delight brought me to ToTT. but in Singapore, it’s not easy for them to survive.” Grace says ToTT is really Supported by his daughter, Grace, 38, he has succeeded in making many local and overseas kitchenware brands known to - and used by - many here. Those early days were also challenging for their father-daughter relationship, says Ms Tan. Click to view. January 13, 2017 2:13 pm. point to note is how ToTT store is geared for the local market. But because he has still not said it, I am intent on doggedly pursuing the question. Sia Huat, 20 Pandan Road, Singapore 609272 (by appointment only) ToTT Opportunities come and go too quickly to have a clearly laid out timeline but regional expansion whilst staying true to our roots in Singapore will be the overarching theme for our next few years”. They say it runs in the family and this couldn't be more true for Cassandra Riene Tan, who at 32, has three businesses under her belt. When she grew older, she helped out with the store's administrative work during school holidays. But Mr Tan says he believes in meritocracy. Sia Huat, 11 Temple St, Singapore 058559, +65 6223 1732, www.siahuat.com TOTT ToTT Store is a 36,000 sqf kitchen wonderland comprising of a bistro, two cooking studios, a Bake&Go counter, children’s play area, fine food store, and retail space. In fact, one of my secondary school classmate's father owns Sia Huat. "Sia Huat is his 'eldest child' and ToTT is his 'youngest child'. Mr Tan launched in-house brands Safico and Cerabon in the 1990s. in their display. and even Sia Huat, was not doing in totality. He successfully made a pitch to the brand for Sia Huat to be its sole distributor here about 40 years ago.