Tan Ser Seng siblings who did not plan to take over herbal soup business open first mall outlet

Allan Tan and his sister Vivian never planned to run Tan Ser Seng. Neither Allan, 35, nor Vivian, 49, had pictured themselves taking over the herbal soup business their grandfather started. Today the brand is in their hands, and they are opening its first outlet beyond the original restaurant, inside a mall.

A childhood of early mornings

As children, they helped at the stall and watched their parents rise at 2am every day to start the long job of boiling the soups, with a break only once each Chinese New Year. "I had always told myself that I had to do very well in my studies because I didn't want to take over the business," Vivian recalled.

Then came the year 2000. Their father, Tan Khar Seng, saw the business at its most successful yet faced the prospect of closing it, since decades of heavy strain on his knees had started to wear them out. He phoned his older sister to ask if her son wanted to take over. His wife overheard, and called Vivian in tears to say her father wanted to retire and sell.

Vivian was then two years into a career as a regional sales engineer. "I said, 'I think I have no choice but to help out'," she said. Both Derrick Lee, her husband, and she became part of the business. With no written recipes, she had to replicate the dishes and record the steps by watching her father cook. Roughly ten years on, once Allan had completed his schooling, he realised his sister and brother-in-law required his help.

Old ways, new tools

On social media and delivery platforms, the business now has a presence thanks to Allan, who has also upgraded customer service and introduced AI processes for administrative tasks and standard operating procedures. Their father resisted at first. "All three of us belong to different generations and have different tastes," Allan explained. "We had to find common ground."

Communication could be tricky. When Allan asked his father for instructions, he would be told, "Just use your heart". "But I've grown and I now understand what he meant," Allan said.

Standards remain strict. "My father thinks he's a Michelin-starred chef," quipped Vivian, who heads kitchen operations and R&D. He is particular about presentation and checks every piece of meat.

Winning over new diners

Far from the old-school feel of the Geylang eatery, the new Great World outlet features bright interiors, ceramic crockery and electronic display screens. The brand is loved by generations of diners and by Chinese tourists, but the family hopes to reach younger locals too.

Allan also has to address doubts about turtle soup. He said much of the resistance comes from misconceptions, such as the belief that wild sea turtles are used, when only specific freshwater breeds farmed to accredited standards go into the food.

Drawing on his mother's homestyle cooking, a new set of dishes is meant to attract diners who have not eaten there before, while honouring the family's heritage. Among them are sweet and sour pork made with persimmon, a nod to their grandfather, who was named for the fruit, and a Teochew-style steamed fish served with black olive and preserved mustard greens. Vivian has also taken a Traditional Chinese Medicine course, so future dishes could reflect its wellness principles.

"I want my own story to continue on, maybe even to the next generation," Allan said. Vivian has told her 13-year-old daughter she is to work part time at the business during her holidays next year.

Vivian asked that her gratitude be passed on to her father for his guidance. His reply: "What's there to thank me for? Let's just do it well."

Diners can find Tan Ser Seng at 29 Lorong Bachok, and at Great World, 1 Kim Seng Promenade, #B1-106/107.