Parents, bakers and lovers of life, three elements that are at the heart of O’Chim
We will be on holiday from 28th Nov - 10th Dec so won't be taking orders for that period, our apologies!
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Our Story
About O'Chim
O’Chim serves home-crafted pecan pies and sugee cakes. Driven by the values of Peranakan cooking – that everything you serve is an expression of love – each unique item embodies pride, and a devotion to the creative process.
O’Chim is named after a Peranakan matriarch and mother of six, whose children love food as much as they do telling stories. Two of her sons ran successful straits cuisine restaurants in the 1980s and 1990s, while among her grandchildren are F&B consultants, respected home bakers and private dining cooks, who all maintain close bonds through their shared passion for soul-nourishing food. In fact, no family story is without mention of food.
Serene Goh, her granddaughter, wrote her family cookbook, Makan Sudah, detailing her grandmother’s and family’s most beloved recipes, and the relationships behind them. She established the O’Chim brand in 2018 after leaving an award-winning, 30-year career in publishing to pursue what was always in her blood: story-based creation.
O’CHIM’S WAY
My grandmother, O’Chim, would today be an innovator. She wasn’t afraid to ask questions, and break rules in the name of invention. But back in the 1940s, she was labelled a tomboy, strong-willed and different.
She was a bride at 17, a mother shortly afterwards, and a fiercely creative individual all her life. She turned out fine embroidery, played the mandolin, and cooked with the precision of a professional chef. When she married into a conservative, hierarchical clan, she found herself in a stranger’s kitchen, there to be judged by her ability to cook. But with the sharp mind, grit and humour that came to define her, she quickly mastered the terrain.
She became an apprentice to her husband’s third aunt, the best cook in their community. And, although my grandmother’s mentor didn’t like people as a rule, she grew so fond of O’Chim that she revealed the hacks, politics and nuances of how the Yeos ate: they were picky, penny-pinching and proud. My grandmother listened, and driven to perfectionism, achieved an excellence that bought her the respect of her mercurial in-laws.
As her own brood grew to six, she imparted to her children and later, their children, all the pride she took in making these meals, as well as her sensibilities. That, along with a love for music, creative expression, and the joy of watching people light up when they tasted something made with heart. It was just her way.
It’s that spirit that drives my kitchen today. Each pie and cake goes out with love, and a nod to the way my grandmother did things, with a great deal of heart, and a whole lot of pride.
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Homecrafted Pecan Pie & Sugee Cake in Singapore – share your story, share your style, share your creativity with @ochim_bakes