Sometimes, even the brightest names can drift into shadows when they cross from the familiar warmth of screen lights into the unpredictable glow of a kitchen stove. It is a gentle reminder that success in one arena does not always flow seamlessly into another — like a star that shines confidently in the sky but finds itself veiled by clouds on a foggy night. For an actor whose face once greeted fans from television screens and billboards, the dream of welcoming diners under the soft glow of restaurant lanterns was both bold and heartfelt. Yet, as with many ventures into the world of hospitality, goodwill and renown were not quite enough to keep the doors open when balance sheets began whispering of losses.

In late 2022, Mediacorp actor Ben Yeo and four business partners opened Tan Xiang Yuan, a modern Chinese restaurant in Singapore’s Little India that featured seafood steamboats, Peking duck, and other delicacies with an artistic flair. The plan was elegant in intention — to marry culinary craft with warm service, inviting friends and strangers alike to linger over memorable meals. From the charming two-storey setting to the carefully curated menu, each detail carried the hopeful brushstrokes of a painter beginning a new canvas. But the reality of running a restaurant proved more intricate than preparing a script or performing a scene.

What began with enthusiastic support gradually encountered unwelcome headwinds. Substantial sums were spent on renovation and outfitting the dining space — amounts that far exceeded initial projections and weighed heavily on financial footing. The restaurant’s location, while picturesque, presented logistical disadvantages, and some of the ambitious design choices invited unexpected regulatory costs. Over time, operating costs mounted, and instead of returning a profit, the restaurant saw recurring monthly losses. Even in the months when business was steadier, earnings proved modest, unable to offset the larger financial currents pulling the enterprise backward. Faced with mounting deficits and weighing the responsibility toward his staff and partners, Yeo made the thoughtful, though difficult, decision to wind down operations rather than continue deeper into loss.

Yet within this decision lies another quiet lesson — that courage in business, much like in art, often involves knowing when to pivot, reflect, and return to the drawing board. For Yeo, closing the restaurant is not just the end of one chapter but a chance to reimagine how his passion for food and community might find expression elsewhere. As Tan Xiang Yuan prepares to serve its final guests, the story lingers as a gentle echo of how even celebrated names encounter the very human terrain of risk and resilience.

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Sources

1. detikFood (Detik) 2. CNA Lifestyle 3. 8Days / Channel NewsAsia 4. The Sun (example of celebrity restaurant closures context)