Luke Chan partnered DLLM Lok Lok’s owner, Jayden Loh, 30, to launch their new concept. The duo, who have been gym partners for years, tell us they came up with the idea to start Pasta Papa during a random workout session together. This also explains their amusing name. “We always go to the gym, and we’re guys, so we thought, papa lor!,” Loh laughs.
Though it might seem more apt for gym buddies to open a more health-focused low-carb eatery, Loh says they scrapped the idea as they felt the market for that “too niche”. “I wanted to tap on Luke’s audience also, so I felt that selling Italian dishes and pasta would be more marketable,” he explains.
Chan, on the other hand, adds that he had always wanted to open an F&B business, but had just been unsure of what to sell till now.
“I know that F&B has a more challenging nature. I actually wanted to prove to myself, and the people around me [that I can do it], and do something that I like. I enjoy serving people, and since young I enjoyed pasta a lot,” he says.
The two of them, alongside two other business partners, invested around S$50,000 (US$36,800) to open Pasta Papa.
