Violet Oon is renowned both in Singapore and internationally for her expertise in Peranakan cuisine and her role as a culinary authority. Widely known as the “grande dame” of Singaporean cooking, she is dedicated to preserving and celebrating Peranakan cuisine and Singapore’s culinary heritage.
Her work focuses on curating, collating and celebrating the diverse flavours and stories that define Singapore’s rich food culture most notably through her flagship restaurant, National Kitchen, located at the National Gallery, as well as her newly opened restaurant, Violet Oon Singapore at Dempsey Hill.
Vintage Radio catches up with Violet Oon as she reflects on her career.
Growing up years
Violet Oon was born into a Peranakan family in 1949. During her childhood, she frequently moved and changed schools across countries such as Malacca, London and Singapore due to her father’s job.
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Originally, Violet intended to pursue a career in singing after university. However, she eventually decided against it, realising she could not measure up to the high standards set by her peers.
Although she did not choose music as a profession, it continues to play a significant role in her life, shaped by her father’s love for singing and her own early musical experiences. Violet recalls fond memories of singing solo at school and participating in the Young Musicians’ Society.
Violet continued to pursue singing, performing even while working as a journalist writing critiques and feature articles, even singing regularly on television.
Early career in journalism
Violet started as a music and art journalist for the afternoon paper New Nation in the early 1970s. She was able to gain much inspiration from her then-editor, David Kraal.
At the time, Violet’s mother didn’t know how to cook, something Violet attributes to her mother’s liberated and modern outlook. However, while the family was living in London, her mother began taking cooking classes.
Violet had an epiphany when her mother became a good cook during this time.
Credit: Peranakan Cooking by Violet Oon
Inspired by her mother’s example, Violet developed an interest in cooking and began learning Peranakan recipes from her aunts, connecting deeply with her heritage.
Determined to preserve and enjoy authentic Peranakan cuisine, she committed herself to mastering it. Her growing culinary knowledge soon led to a new opportunity — her editor at the time appointed her to write the food column, believing it would be valuable to have a writer who could actually cook to review food.
When Violet began writing food critiques as a journalist, she felt a deep sense of duty, not only in what she conveyed to her readers but also in how she presented it.
Credit: Facebook/Violet Oon Singapore @violetoonsingapore
At the time, with no social media or easy online access, people relied heavily on print journalism for information. Through her reviews, Violet provided more than just opinions on food; she also shared valuable cooking tips and techniques, becoming a trusted source of culinary knowledge.
"As a reporter, you are the window to the world. And I felt that responsibility very, very strongly till now, what am I trying to communicate? And so, what window do I want to show my readers?"
Starting Violet Oon’s Kitchen
According to Violet, many of her business ventures were unplanned and developed organically. Her first restaurant, Violet Oon’s Kitchen, came about by chance. She was working as a food consultant at Takashimaya when a tenant unexpectedly pulled out, leaving a large space empty.
To her surprise, they agreed — and that’s how Violet Oon’s Kitchen was born in the basement of Takashimaya.
Credit: Violet Oon Singapore
However, the restaurant Violet is most proud of is her flagship establishment, National Kitchen. Upon taking over its management, she immediately felt the pressure of overseeing such a significant venue.
Violet has received numerous awards recognising her work and contributions to Singapore’s culinary industry, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to her in 2019 by the Singapore Tourism Board for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism.
Family and Legacy
Violet has two children, Su-Lyn and Yiming, who now help her manage the business. She admits that she wasn’t always the best at managing her ventures in the past, which unfortunately led to the closure of two restaurants and three cafes over the years due to poor business, before her children stepped in.
In 2023, the Oon family became embroiled in a shareholders’ dispute with their former business partner, Manoj Murjani, co-founder of TWG Tea. Violet Oon eventually won her court bid to buy out her business partner, as the court found that the 2019 shareholders’ agreement had been signed under duress.
Credit: Violet Oon Singapore
Despite her past business failures, Violet Oon’s children continue to encourage her to try again and start new business ventures. They recently opened Violet Oon Singapore at Dempsey Hill, recognising the importance of preserving Peranakan cuisine. Her children fear it might disappear forever unless they continue to carry the legacy forward.
This content was originally aired on Vintage Radio. To listen to the complete podcast, click here.
