For Ken Ming Lee and Sophia Shen, the co-founders of The Goodburger, expansion was always the plan.
After all, the two come from the tech and startup world, where scaling isn’t a possibility, it’s the goal. Before starting The Goodburger, the duo founded Popcorn, an app offering all sorts of movie-related information.
However, Ken Ming and Sophia never expected their business to scale the way that it has.
“The pandemic hit and the corresponding changes in consumer and market behaviour, as well as various opportunities that arrived along the way, led us to take an adjacent but strategic path to start our various other brands like Gourmet Park, Carnaby, and Camp Caribbean,” they explained to Vulcan Post.
Striking while the iron was hot, they now have Singapore’s largest fleet of food trucks. On top of that, they also operate two physical venues, which both work to accelerate the growth of their burgeoning F&B group.
From one truck to two parks
Sometimes, the best opportunities come unexpectedly.
For Gourmet Park, it all started when Resorts World Sentosa invited Ken Ming and Sophia to bring The Goodburger food truck in to serve resort guests during renovations at The Forum.
“But rather than just setting up a single truck, we saw the potential to create something much bigger—an exciting, high-quality food truck park featuring some of the best chefs and F&B concepts in Singapore,” they reasoned. “That’s how Gourmet Park RWS came to life.”
The idea was to curate a list of the “best of the best” in Singapore that would make sense in a food truck format. Guided by this mission, they were able to bring in exciting names such as Lavi Taco, The Kathi Roll Co., Quattro Pizza & Pasta, and many more.
Moving from being a single operator with The Goodburger to taking on a more landlord-like role, the duo needed to completely shift their mindset.
It wasn’t enough to focus on running their own brand. Rather, they had to curate, coordinate, and support a diverse mix of vendors to ensure the overall success of Gourmet Park. It was all about community.
“One of the most eye-opening lessons was the sheer operational complexity and cost of maintaining a shared dining space—especially the significant expense of cleaning services in a food court or hawker-style environment,” they said.
“It’s something you don’t fully appreciate as an individual vendor, but when managing an entire venue, it becomes a major operational and financial consideration.”
Gourmet Park RWS is now permanently closed, though.
But, having experienced success with the project, the two were given another opportunity to take over the Camp Kilo venue at Kampong Bugis. Thus came the establishment of Gourmet Park Kampong Bugis, a multi-brand concept with the same spirit as RWS but in a different format.
“We started with The Goodburger, Meatsmith, and Backyard Bakers, and have since expanded with our latest concept, Camp Caribbean,” they told Vulcan Post.
Finding new opportunities
Opening two new F&B brands was never part of the plan.
However, when Ken Ming and Sophie met two incredible chefs whose visions aligned with theirs, they knew they had to pounce on the opportunity.
Carnaby began when they met Chef Adam Penney, a chef the duo has admired since Goodburger’s early days. “Best known for revolutionising Singapore’s burger scene, Adam is a chef of many talents, having trained in top London restaurants,” the co-founders described.
With the closure of Three Buns at Robertson Quay which he headed, they decided the timing was right to create something fresh.
“We chose British cuisine because, despite the large British expat community, it remains underrepresented in Singapore,” they said. “Adam’s fish and chips, British pies, and Sunday Roast are some of the best in town, proving that British food can be bold, exciting, and, dare we say, sexy.”
As for Camp Caribbean, it was driven by Chef Ricardo, the only Jamaican chef in Singapore. “Hailing from the birthplace of authentic jerk, he brings true Caribbean flavours to the table,” the team gushed.
Today, Camp Caribbean claims to be Singapore’s first fully immersive Caribbean dining experience.
“At Goodburger, we spot gaps in the market and pair them with the right talent,” the co-founders elaborated.
“Singapore lacked great British and Caribbean cuisine, and we saw an opportunity to change that. Beyond just great food, we create full experiences—from selecting the perfect venue to crafting authentic menus and building strong brand identities.”
Of course, just strategy wouldn’t achieve anything. Execution, the duo believes, is key. That’s why they’ve engaged top chefs and have designed engaging spaces to truly drive home their brands.
Aligning with this mindset, they believe that investing in food brands is about a balance between the concept and the people behind it. “A great idea alone isn’t enough—it takes the right team with the passion, vision, and ability to execute at a high level.”
The team is particularly drawn to brands that offer something distinct and memorable, whether by reimagining a familiar cuisine or introducing something entirely new. Of course, the brands should also be scalable.
“At the end of the day, we’re not just launching restaurants—we’re building brands that have the potential to make a lasting impact,” they clarified.
What doesn’t kill you
Speaking to Vulcan Post, Ken Ming and Sophia shared their philosophy towards business: If failure won’t kill you, just go for it.
“We still stand by this, but over the years, experience has taught us the importance of prioritisation and focus,” they elaborated.
In their early entrepreneurial days, every new idea felt exciting and inspiring. However, with experience, they’ve learnt that not every opportunity is worth pursuing.
“Taking a step back, letting ideas sit, and evaluating them with a clear mind often reveals whether they’re truly viable or just momentary enthusiasm,” they advised.
Today, the two approach entrepreneurship more intentionally, with a sharper sense of strategy and discipline, balancing boldness with careful decision-making. They explained, “It’s not just about taking risks—it’s about taking the right risks.”
Featured Image Credit: The Goodburger / Gourmet Park