SINGAPORE - The old chestnut has it that the family that eats together stays together.
For a restaurant business where different generations of a family run a food and beverage business together, however, it is both the banter and bickering that bind the household and drive the establishment to stay at the top of its game, as Straits Times food editor Tan Hsueh Yun finds out.
In the latest edition of digital magazine The Life (click here to download The Straits Times Star app for iPad or here to get it for Android devices), she gets the families who run Violet Oon's Kitchen, Samy's Curry and the Da Paolo Group to talk about how they manage their business.
For Ms Violet Oon, 65, the doyenne of Singapore food and namesake of the modern Singapore bistro in Bukit Timah which serves Peranakan food and other dishes her children grew up eating, working with her daughter Su-lyn Tan, 38, and son Yiming Tan, 32, has been "a trial by fire".
In their interview, the trio speak openly of the disagreements they have, and Ms Oon, in particular, explains why she encourages her children to fight.
At the famous Samy's Curry in Dempsey, owner V. Maheyndran, 56, is full of praise for the changes his two children have made to improve the business.
But there is one thing he forbids them from doing away with, as long as he is around. A clue: It is green, flat and part of every meal. The answer is in the issue.
Young blood has also been a key ingredient in the success of the Da Paolo group of restaurants and gourmet delicatessens, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Husband-and-wife team Paolo and Judie Scarpa started the business as a trattoria in Tanjong Pagar in 1989 and they are now joined by their two children and son-in-law.
Besides recipes for successful restaurant families, the issue also offers a meaty guide to five must-visit contemporary art galleries in Beijing.
Whether you are a new art collector, an art lover keen to spot fresh developments, or a holidaymaker eager for a culturally rich experience, we will help you zero in on galleries that match your interests.
Besides visiting galleries in 798 Art Zone, the popular enclave of art galleries and studios, she checks out Caochangdi Village, another art district that is home to high-profile galleries.
To avoid getting lost on the dusty, unmarked roads of the rustic village, use the maps provided in the magazine.
Style pointers from fashionistas are another highlight in the November issue. Fashion writer Stacey Chia offers tips from four popular tastemakers who document their outfits on Instagram, where they have thousands of followers.
For these and more reads in The Life, download the monthly e-magazine with features on style, travel, food, pursuits and design, for free on The Straits Times Star mobile app for iPad and Android devices. Go to the Apple App Store or Google Play to download. The magazine is best viewed on an iPad or on Android tablets.
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