INCULCATE THE VALUES OF CAMARADERIE AND EMPATHY IN WRITING PROJECTS THAT HAVE MEANING AND SOCIAL VALUE
WRITING BUDDIES PROJECT (2010)
Writing Buddies Project paired the young authors with children from less fortunate families in Singapore to write about personal heroes in their lives.
If I were A Superhero, created from the project were distributed to PCFs and volunteer groups, and has been in use since then to teach children in K1 and K2 about writing and reading.
We believe that Every Kid Has A Story To Tell! Watch the workshop highlights here!
LEARNING FAMILY PROGRAMME & ALUMNI (2011)
The Learning Family Programme (LFP) is a joint project of Janus Education Services and the South East Community Development Council (SECDC). Selected families and their children were to attend 20 sessions of enrichment programmes under Janus Education Services.
Me and My Family, created from the project were distributed to all families under the LFP, including Bartley Community Services and the Association of Muslim Professionals.
BOOKS AVAILABLE IN OUR ESTORE
AMAZING JOURNEYS: CAMBODIA (2012)
Amazing Journeys: Cambodia was a five-day trip intended for parents and their children to experience the other side of Cambodia first-hand.
Towards the end of the trip, parents and children collated a series of journal entries that were then compiled into a travelogue that has been made available in the e-platforms of Janus Education Services, including Google Books and the Apple app store.
LOVE! LIVE DANGEROUSLY! AND HAVE FUN! (2013)
The great novelist, Harper Lee, who wrote To Kill A Mockingbird, said, “The book to read is not one that thinks for you, but the one that makes you think.” I sincerely hope my book would do just that …. Make you think about your life and how to live it well. I have done it with my life. It wouldn’t have happened without the help and support of the people I’ve mentioned in the pages of my book.
And to all, who are still traveling …… You have only one life! It’s too short to dwell on yesterday. Live now! Break some rules! Have fun!
NO PLACE LIKE SERANGOON GARDENS (2015)
Founded in the 1950s by developer Charles William Macey, it still retains its old world charm amidst the frenetic pace just a mere ten minutes drive away. Delve into the world of the Gardeners and you’ll discover just why there is just no place like Serangoon Gardens.
WHEN ALL IS DARK, REACH FOR THE STARS (2017)
Cancer. Hear the stories of six women. Peggy, Vivien, Veronica, Hannah, Angeline and Siew Pheng. They will bare their pain, their fears, but they will also astound you with their moments of courage and hope.
$2 from every book purchased will be donated to National Cancer Centre Singapore
100 FABULOUS PEOPLE (2020)
For these 100 Fabulous People You Must Meet In Your Lifetime, they have weathered the storm and came out stronger against the odds. They now live their life with passion and purpose. Read their story and know that, just as they have overcome the odds, so can you!
50% of the sales proceeds will be donated to the Singapore Cancer Society.
Young Maestro Chef-Author (2022)
Watch video of ‘Chef-authors learning to make pasta‘ and ‘Cupcakes making is fun for our chef-authors!‘
The Story Behind The Series
I have been asked, why this series? In November 2019, I joined ACTS (A Call To Share), a Catholic volunteer organization, for their outreach in the Philippines. We spent five days in Hugo Perez Elementary School, teaching and laughing with kids in one of Cavite’s poorest neighbourhoods. I discovered a hunger in them to learn, a hunger five days could not and would not appease. And I thought of my young authors in Singapore. I wanted them to visit these kids and to write a story together. Then came 2020 and covid 19. Two long years dragged by. And it hit me …. Can my young authors fundraise through a book project?
Yes, My Culinary Adventure is an initiative by my writing foundation to raise funds for needy families in Cavite. Surely there are other ways? Why bring 10- to 16-year-olds into the kitchen, some of whom have not used a ladle in their lives? And in the height of the pandemic?
I wish I can tell you why. Perhaps it’s the consequence of not knowing when we can start travelling again. It’s been two long years. Or when I can visit Adelaide and Sydney again to see my girls, which I always do early December for the last few years….yes, I deliberately chose this cookout in SunRice on my birthday! And I’m glad I did that. Coz in three short hours, these kids had so much fun learning to make cupcakes and spaghetti! And that made me happy! It made me happy to see the joy on their faces when they finally created their dishes and enjoyed eating them! It made me happy when I see many of them saving the cupcakes they’ve made, to share with their siblings. It reminded me of my own daughters, Pam and Pauli …
Now the serious fun begins. Young Master Chef-Author (YMCA). The imprint I created. If kids can cook (well, frying an egg is cooking too!), they can write too! The whole family gets involved! And may I add…..I am amazed at the heritage that is revealed through each chef-author’s sharing.
It must have been a very personal journey for the chef-authors. Especially reminiscing on Remembering My Heritage! How often have they eaten a dish without knowing its origins or the amount of effort and love put into preparing it? From simple yet tasty recipes like Matthew’s Dumpling, Megan’s Wonton, Xinran’s Meat Pie; Meagan’s Steamed Milky Egg Custard, heart-warming soup dishes like Kate Kokomi’s Mee Hoon Kueh and Lige’s Longyan Clear Soup Noodles, William’s Xinghua Mee Sua; to grandma’s own like Abhinayya’s Thosai, Clara’s Hong Shao Rou, Arnav’s Chaat, Avishi’s Chana Bhatura, Chloe’s Mohinga, local traditional like Kayden’s Hokkien Mee, Joanne’s Claypot Chicken Rice and Jayden’s Chicken Rice; — it’s so wonderful how much learning happens in the kitchen! To transfer that learning to their very own book, that’s magic!
What I so enjoy about creating this series is also the Letter from Mum. I don’t know if any mums or dads (yes, two dads did write!) shed any tears when writing that letter. A few touched me and I believe it touched their child too!
Here’s a few I like to mention: “Since you were young, we made every effort to expose you to the wonders of the world and the fascinating diversity of cultures all around us through travels and exposure to different food, as food itself is an experience. We hope to inculcate in you an openness to embrace different cultures and experiences, to seek to understand and to practice acceptance. What better way to do that than through appreciating the food from different cultures!” — Meagan Rae Tan’s mum
“What I want you to remember is our rich heritage and culture are our roots and that this has come about not because we were rigid or non-adaptable but because we adapted, accepted and evolved. I wish that as you grow up your anchor, your roots are strong to support you and allow you to branch out – to acquire, appreciate and assimilate.” — Avishi Gurnani’s mum
“Mom is very happy that you also learned to make dumplings and enjoyed it. Grandma’s craftsmanship has also been passed on to you. People’s feelings about food are mostly homesickness, nostalgia, and nostalgia for childhood. Dumplings are delicious, and they are meant for reunion. Every mother instills the sense of taste in the memory of her child. Once these seeds of feelings take root and germinate, even if they go far, the familiar smell lingers and will remind children of the direction of home. I hope you can also pass on this “mother’s taste” forever.” — Wang Xinran’s mum
“As you came into my life, Mummy was determined to carry on these flavours and always be able to welcome you home with a warm meal from my heart as you grow up. Reminiscing the tastes of my childhood while watching you enjoy the simple fares I can bring to you at home, looking at you appreciating and savoring each spoonful had brought much joy to my heart. Perhaps, looking forward to the many more years to come, maybe one day, you will be the one in front of that wok bringing our family’s flavours to the table for your own family.” — Kayden Chong’s mum
And a particular Letter From Clara’s dad, so whimsically funny that I had to share it here: “When you were around three years old, your mom went on a 2-days-1- night trip to Batam with her “mommies group.” Being a responsible father, I cooked a nice, delicious dinner for you that evening, a simple home-cooked meal. When your mom called, amongst Hmm…now is the taste test other topics, you happily blurted “Daddy cooked Maggie mee for me!” I was shocked! That was not true! That was not Maggie Mee. It was the one and only “Unif Tung-1 instant noodles with chicken & abalone flavour.” I wanted to set the record straight and quickly chipped in “with lots of tomatoes and vegetables!” Well, I suspected that brand and flavour was not that important to your mother at that point in time. I also suspected that I was in hot soup…at least it’s chicken and abalone flavour. Sure enough, when she was back from her trip, rested and loaded with energy, I volunteered to help her offload some of that excess energy. “How could you cook such unhealthy food for our daughter! I will always make the effort to cook a proper meal for her…” Fast forward to present time. Whenever you smell that familiar aroma while in the living room, you will happily announce “daddy is cooking yummy instant noodles, can I have some?”
I am not proud that I introduced you to instant noodles. But I suspect that when you are older and staying up late to study, or feeling down and wanting some comfort food, you will think of the special, one and only… daddy… and Tung-1 noodles.
In this particular order I hope. 🙂
With lots of Luv,
Tomatoes and Vegetables,
Daddy”
Great stories need a photographer who can visualize the essence of the story. I’ve found mine in Michael Toh, who worked with me on 100 Fabulous People You Must Meet In Your Lifetime, a fundraiser for the Singapore Cancer Society. Michael epitomizes for me the visual storyteller who delights in his craft, never resting till he’s found the perfect shot. All 15 cover shots, most of the backcover shots and Letter from Mum/Dad shots were curated by him.
The chef-author who impressed him the most? “It will be Kayden. He was very easy to work with during his solo shoot, and was very willing to demonstrate his cooking skills for the photoshoot with his mum.”
And what did Michael enjoy most about this book project? “Listening to the author’s parents describing their family history through the different heritage cuisines, it has enriched my knowledge of different countries and their cultures!”
What more can I say? Isn’t it always true that good writing comes from the heart? You’ll also discover that extraordinary writing is the ability to evoke that nostalgia and family bonding. I hope these 15 stories will bring you on your very own culinary adventure!
Catherine Khoo
Creator, Young Maestro Chef-Author
Stories and Recipes from Three Generations (2025)
Date: 20 Dec 2025 (Saturday)
Time: 3 – 5pm
Venue: Possibility Room, level 5, National Library Building, 100 Victoria Street, Singapore 188064.
Six Stories. One Heritage.
Celebrate the launch of Stories and Recipes from Three Generations—six heartfelt books tracing migration, memory, and family through treasured recipes. Meet the authors and learn how everyday stories become powerful records of heritage and identity.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
20 November 2025
EVENT: BOOK LAUNCH — STORIES AND RECIPES FROM THREE GENERATIONS
In its efforts to encourage Singaporeans to know their family histories and record them for the benefits of their descendants, the Genealogy Society Singapore (GSS) is partnering with the Catherine Khoo Writing Foundation (CKWF) to embark on a project to record and publish the family histories of six Singaporeans of various ethnicity in ways that are accessible, engaging, and lasting. This series advances GSS’s mission to promote awareness of genealogy and preserve Singapore’s multi-racial heritage by showing how personal stories, migration journeys, and heirloom recipes can become valuable family records. Through these books, GSS hopes to inspire more families to document their roots for future generations.
With this shared dedication to preserving Singapore’s intergenerational heritage, GSS and CKWF is proud to launch Stories and Recipes from Three Generations — a six-book collection celebrating family, memory, and the flavours that shape our heritage.
Each book, titled after its author, offers a personal journey across three generations:
Masako’s Table, Bhumika’s Table, Aaron’s Table, Sarafian’s Table, Eric’s Table, and Shariza’s Table.
These stories bring together migration histories, treasured recipes, and the quiet resilience of the first generation—reminding readers that heritage is not only recorded in archives but preserved through shared meals, conversations, and traditions passed from parent to child.
Books are available for purchase at https://www.catherinekhoo.sg/estore/shop/. Each book is priced at $25. The proceed from sale of the books will be donated to the Children Cancer Society.
Genealogy Society Singapore (GSS)
Founded in 2012, the Genealogy Society Singapore (https://genealogysocietysingapore.com/) aims to establish and provide a forum for anyone interested in genealogy and ancestral studies to meet, interact, share and exchange knowledge.
GSS also hopes to educate members and the general public in the field of genealogy, to create greater awareness and interest that promote the advancement of our multi-racial, cross-cultural heritage, customs and traditions.
The Society publishes the family histories of Singaporeans to bring about closer family ties, benefit their descendants and enrich the social history of Singapore.
Catherine Khoo Writing Foundation (CKWF)
Created in 2010, the Catherine Khoo Writing Foundation encapsulates Catherine Khoo’s passion to “help you find your voice through telling your story.” CKWF aims to inculcate the values of camaraderie and empathy in writing projects that have meaning and social value. Revenue from books generated from these projects, including When All is Dark, Reach for the Stars (2017), 100 Fabulous People You Must Meet in Your Lifetime (2020) and the Young Maestro Chef-Author series (2022) were donated to charitable organizations such as Singapore Cancer Society.
Bhumika Aggarwal
Born in 1980, Bhumika Aggarwal, an ethnic Indian, is a doctor and researcher. She is fascinated by how generations connect, though she firmly believes every recipe passed down should come with a shorter, easier version. Preferably one that doesn’t involve kneading. Her days are spent balancing the precision of science with the cheerful chaos of family life.
Bhumika is intrigued by the threads of intergenerational bonds—how wisdom, love, and sometimes stubborn spice blends are passed down. Though she is not passionate about cooking, she deeply respects the hands that stirred before hers. This book is her tribute to legacy—the kind that simmers slowly, lingers in memory, and reminds us that sometimes the most meaningful inheritance comes wrapped in a kitchen towel. It is about the legacies she inherits and the ones she lovingly recreates—one imperfect naan at a time.
Masako Shirahata
Born in 1981, Masako is a Japanese illustrator living in Singapore, who loves nature, tea, and pandan chiffon cake. Her drawing inspiration comes from her love of nature and fairytales. Working as an artist assistant for Takafumi Hara and Yayoi Kusama has inspired her to continue working as an illustrator. Masako’s work includes textile and T-shirt design for Anna Sui. In recent years, Masako has explored the colourful cultures of Singapore and incorporated them with her childhood memories into her illustrations. Something that she is looking forward to is growing pandan leaf and butterfly pea flowers in her little balcony, waiting for the day she can cook Peranakan dishes.
Sarafian Salleh
Born in 1970, Sarafian Salleh, whose ancestors came from South Sulawesi in Indonesia, is an engineer, a writer and heritage storyteller, endlessly curious about how memory shapes identity. His days are spent tracing the footsteps of seafarers and settlers, weaving the past into the present streets of Singapore. He believes history lives not in dusty archives but in the stories we carry. He does romanticize the past but deeply honours it. This book is his tribute to legacy; not one sealed in museums, but one that walks beside him, whispers through his city’s wind, and reminds him that heritage is not just inherited. It is remembered, retold, and relived.
Aaron Ng
Born in 1980, Aaron Ng is a curious, creative people-person who turns everyday moments into mini adventures. A natural storyteller, food MacGyver, and lifelong researcher, he delights in chasing insights and uncovering hidden connections, whether through geocaching, exploring history and culture, or deep conversations. He thrives on discovery, empowers others through ideas, and brings a sense of wonder to the ordinary. Above all, Aaron is a devoted family man who finds his greatest joy in fatherhood, seeing the world anew through his son’s eyes. He believes the best stories aren’t just told, they’re lived and shared.
Eric Lim
Born in 1951 to educated parents who carried both the grace of tradition and the weight of its expectations, Eric Lim grew up in an age when old values demanded renewal — much like a beloved but dated outfit waiting for a modern cut.
In his own way, he has tried to live as both a keeper and a reformer — an entrepreneur who believes that integrity and imagination can coexist, and that business should always have a soul. Whether in boardrooms or community halls, he has sought to apply these lessons: that wealth means little without purpose, and success means less without compassion.
Shariza Kamil
Born in 1974, Shariza Kamil’s ancestors hailed from Minankabau in Indonesia. She has always believed life is like a film — and a little like cooking. You start with raw ingredients, add a dash of courage, a sprinkle of love, and somehow, magic happens. From pretending to be a radio DJ as a child to running her own production house, she’s been telling stories in many forms — on screen and at the dining table. Her family’s recipes and her Minangkabau roots has taught her that heritage is best preserved through the senses: taste, sound, and memory. Whether filming or cooking, one must love what one creates — taste it, refine it, and only serve it when it truly warms the heart. This book is her way of keeping those memories alive — a celebration of love, legacy, and the stories she continues to serve.
