1. Can you start by telling us about the culinary journey that brought you to where you are today?

I’ve always believed food should bring people together. That’s where it starts. Growing up in Perth, I trained in kitchens that shaped my respect for ingredients and technique. It was never about chasing trends - it was about understanding flavour, and how it develops through fire, smoke, and time. I’ve never been interested in doing what everyone else is doing. The goal has always been to create something honest and memorable - something that stays with people. That mindset is what led me to Burnt Ends.

2. What inspired you to launch and open Burnt Ends?

I wanted to create a place where we could cook over wood fire and do it properly. For me, it’s about what fire brings to food - the depth, the flavour, the unpredictability. Cooking with wood forces you to pay attention. It’s instinct, experience, and respect for the ingredient. Burnt Ends was built around that idea. Simple cooking, done well, over fire - focused on making food that’s genuinely delicious. No distractions. Just great ingredients, fire, and flavour.

3. What led you to establish Burnt Ends in Singapore, and what makes the city’s food scene so exciting to you?

Singapore just felt right from the start. People here care about food - they understand it, and they expect it to be good. The mix of cultures keeps things interesting. You can’t stand still here, you’ve got to keep pushing and evolving. What I like most is the guests. They’re curious, they’re open, and they’re up for something different. That energy feeds into how we cook. It’s a city that embraces bold flavours and big experiences - and that’s exactly the kind of place I want to be.

4. For those visiting Burnt Ends for the first time, what kind of experience can guests expect?

I want people to feel the energy from the moment they walk in. It’s open, it’s loud, it’s all happening around you - you see the fire, you smell it, you feel it. The food is bold, full of flavour, cooked over smoke and fire, but there’s a lot of technique behind it. We just don’t make a big deal about it. At the end of the day, it’s about having a good time. Great food, good energy, and having a great time.

5. What values or principles guide the way you cook and lead your kitchen?

It starts with respect - for the ingredients, the process, and the people around you. Consistency matters. You can be creative, but if you can’t get the basics right every time, nothing else counts. In the kitchen, it’s about clarity and trust. Everyone knows their role, everyone pulls their weight, and everyone is held accountable. No ego, just getting the job done properly. That’s how you keep standards high - and still make it a place people actually want to be in.

6. How would you describe your cooking style?

Big flavours, backed by proper technique. Food that’s genuinely delicious.

7. Do you have any barbecue tips or techniques that home cooks can try - particularly ones that have influenced the way you cook at Burnt Ends?

Don’t be afraid of fire. Learn how it works, respect it, and spend time with it. Cook with proper hardwood, Jarrah, Ironbark, oak, hickory, cherry. It burns hotter, cleaner, and gives you that little bit of magic you just don’t get any other way. Take time to build your fire, it’s a long process and I usually allow about an hour and a half before I need to cook! Use a thermometer for precision, but also trust your instincts. And don’t be scared of a bit of char, that’s where the flavour is. Keep it simple. Good produce, good fire and let the smoke do the work. And have fun, that’s the whole point. 

8. You’ve also launched several exciting projects, including the Burnt Ends book in 2024. What inspired you to create it?

We wanted more than a recipe book. Max Veenhuyzen, Per-Anders, Lotta Jörgensen, and I worked together to give people insight into Burnt Ends, including the techniques behind wood-fire cooking. We included tips and tricks for home cooks, but the book is also a first-person narrative from me, sharing the story of the restaurant and the people who helped build it into what it is today. It is about showing how fire and creativity come together in a modern BBQ context

9. Can you tell us more about the Burnt Ends Hospitality group and its vision?

It is all about cooking over wood fire. That’s the foundation. There’s something about it, people naturally gather around it. It’s raw, it’s honest, and it creates a kind of energy you don’t get anywhere else. The vision is simple. Build places where people come together, eat, drink, and have a really good time. We keep pushing the cooking, keep it interesting, but never lose what makes it work in the first place. And none of it happens without the team. Get the right people around the fire, and you build something that lasts

10. Finally, are there any upcoming plans or projects you’re particularly excited about that you can share with us?

We’re always experimenting - new menus, collaborations, and pushing what we can do with fire and technique. That never really stop .Right now, the big focus is our microbrewery, People People Brewing Co. at Resorts World Sentosa. It’s a different kind of project for us.It’s still built around flavour and doing things properly, but this time it’s beer, food, music - a place people can just come and hang out, drink fresh beer straight from the tank, woodfired pizzas and woodfired rotisserie chicken, nothing overcomplicated.

The idea is simple. Create a hospitality driven space where people want to stay - where they feel comfortable, have a good time, and come back with their mates. It’s a big one for us, and I’m looking forward to getting it open, seeing it come to life, and having a really cold beer or ten.

www.burntendshospitalitygroup.com