Meet Charmaine Hui, a Singapore-born, Hong Kong-raised entrepreneur who turned her love for food into the successful ventures Bakeaholic and Juju. In this interview, Charmaine shares her journey from personal loss to culinary success, the inspiration behind her businesses, and her plans for the future. Discover how her diverse cultural background and passion for food have shaped her unique approach to baking and cooking.
Can you tell us about yourself and your background?
Born in Singapore but raised in Hong Kong, I was immersed in both cultures, thanks to my family’s diverse background and their culinary skills. Traveling frequently with my mom provided exposure to various cultures and the F&B scenes in different countries, nurturing my appreciation for quality and innovative food.
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What inspired you to start Bakaholic?
During COVID, my dog, who had been with me for 15 years, passed away while I was stuck in Singapore due to the pandemic. The grief of losing a beloved family member made it challenging, especially as I awaited my journey to the UK for my Masters at Imperial College. To distract myself, I began baking at home. With encouragement from my husband, family, and neighbors, I started a home baking business – Bakeaholic.
Additionally, back in 2020, with the sudden decision to move to Singapore for Bakeaholic, I launched Juju in 2022. It’s a Hong Kong cuisine 茶餐廳/bar, as I missed Hong Kong food too much! It was a very fulfilling experience indeed, especially as I realized that many of my customers in Singapore were from Hong Kong and missed the comfort food from there. I remember sobbing with my Hong Kong customers as they tasted our food and milk tea.
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Could you tell us more about Bakaholic?
To my surprise, Bakeaholic became very popular, selling out for three months straight before I managed to reunite with my family in Hong Kong after ten months. Before leaving for Hong Kong, I sought out a commercial kitchen to maintain the quality of our products and cater to the overwhelming support we received. We found a space that we thought was suitable for opening a cafe. My passion for creating in the gastronomic world grew from there, fueled by the joy of seeing people enjoy my bakes and food. We offer western bakes with a twist of Asian flavors and collaborated with K11 Musea Hong Kong Artisan Lounge to launch a Nanyang-inspired high tea set in November 2022.
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Are there any goals you are planning to reach in 2024?
Instead of expanding rapidly with my culinary brands as I’ve done previously, I’ve decided to take a slower and more gradual approach to give my family and husband more time this year. Without professional culinary training, participating in professional training or entering a culinary course is one of my goals, if not in 2024, perhaps in 2025.
How do you make yourself happy and Ritzy in life?
Eating, drinking, and traveling with loved ones are my go-to happiness boosters. I choose to feel good, do good, and simply be good. That’s my life goal!
