Daniel Ong opening ‘biggest yet’ 3rd steakhouse at The Star Vista, but netizens criticised the announcement

Former Mediacorp DJ Daniel Ong announced the opening of his “biggest yet” restaurant at The Star Vista.

Despite revealing in an interview last month that his “Korean-influenced steakhouse” Dan’s Steaks was “nowhere near breaking even,” Ong expressed excitement at the opening of his third outlet.

The 46-year-old and his ex-wife Jaime Teo Chai-lin started Twelve Cupcakes in 2011.

It was discovered that between 2013 and 2014, seven foreign workers employed at Twelve Cupcakes were underpaid.

The duo sold the company in 2016 to Kolkata-based Dhunseri Group for S$2.5 million.

Ong also closed all three outlets of his restaurant, Rookery, in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In February last year, Teo pleaded guilty to 10 charges under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act and was fined S$65,000.

Ong then told 8 Days that he had lost all his income following the Twelve Cupcakes incident. He opened the first Dan’s Steaks outlet in April 2021 at Serangoon Gardens as a “product of necessity.”

He opened the second branch in November last year along Upper East Coast Road.

“We are super stoked and excited about the biggest Dan’s Steaks – renovation has taken a while, and finally, on July 12, we are getting it up for you!” said Ong in an Instagram post on July 9.

“For our dearest friends who frequent The Star Vista on Sundays for church, you’d know where to head afterwards 😉,” he added.

Ong said that he and two other partners invested “around half a million dollars” to open Estuary, an oyster bar and “pescatarian haven” in Orchard last month.

He told 8 Days that some months ago was “tough” for Dan’s Steaks due to less-than-stellar sales, and the business was “nowhere near breaking even.”

Netizens commented on the announcement with criticisms.

“We are not fools to think you open a new outlet and yet not break even. Just want to get exposure for 1st timers to try just once. Few months later, reports say it is closing all the 3 outlets,” said Facebook user Lubber Duckiee.

“Think he’s just trying to hype it up, open more outlets for exposure and then just sell off the whole franchise. Hope investors do their due diligence,” warned Facebook user Ethan Lee YS.

Others also noted that the location could be a problem. “But how are they going to fight against iSteaks, which is immensely popular on the same floor?” asked netizen Zhang Pinzheng. /TISG

Twelve Cupcakes previous owner Daniel Ong opening steakhouse ‘as product of necessity’