You might only see Sharon manning the floor once in a while at Kilo Kallang or Kilo Orchard, because she prefers to be the woman behind the scenes of everything happening at Kilo Kitchen. Sharon runs the administrative side of Kilo, but she loves occasionally loves to be on the ground to meet everyone who comes over, and to make sure that everything runs as smoothly as possible during service. She also happens to be married to Javier, the founder of Kilo, and together the two of them make up the charisma and personality behind Kilo. We find out a little more about Sharon and what she does.
Hi Sharon! Could you tell us a little more about yourself?
I was born here in Singapore, but left when I was only 5 years old. I grew up in lots of different places across the world: Toronto, Canada; Cebu, the Philippines; Orange County, California; and Switzerland.
I’m actually trained in Accounting & Accounting Info Systems, and worked for 4 years as a Portfolio Accountant for an investment management firm. After that I felt like I needed a job and life that was more interactive, and that allowed me to travel, so I shifted to a completely different industry.
I took a diploma in International Hospitality Management in Switzerland, and my first job in this new industry was in a hotel in Manila. There, I was trained in F&B Management.
I moved back to Singapore about 9.5 years ago to take over a small café in the CBD with Javier. After it closed, I worked some odd jobs here and there, while also working at Raw Kitchen Bar with Javier. I came in here full time when Kilo finally opened.
So you’ll see, with my background, I’m the person who takes care of anything that involves paper and numbers. (laughs) I’m in charge of all our accounting, payroll, HR, and all administration for all the outlets and all our companies. I work the floor a few nights a week to still be able to interact with different people and find out what’s happening with our business on the ground.
How did Sharon & Javier meet?
What was the idea behind Kilo, and how did you and Javier develop this idea into what it is today? Can you tell us about the shift from Raw Kitchen Bar to Kilo?
We wanted to continue what we felt was one of the most successful aspects of Raw Kitchen Bar — a restaurant that takes guests away from the busy-ness of Singapore and transports them to a place where they are surrounded by good food, great company and conversations, and relaxed vibes.
Our team is made up of likeminded people, who we brought on board to carry on our vision of Kilo. I think Kilo’s evolution comes from our constant focus on remaining consistent with our food and service, yet keeping things simple and raw. There’s no fluff to us — what you see is what you get.
Kilo is now 4 years old. How has the journey been so far? Is this how you’ve envisioned it to be?
It’s crazy how quickly time flies! I’m always grateful and blessed that Kilo has come this far, especially in Singapore where restaurant trends tend to have short life cycles. It’s been absolutely great — I’m doing something that I love, whether it’s simply serving guests at the restaurant, meeting new faces every day, or hanging out with the team.
There are always ups and downs and many times, it’s overwhelming but that’s just part of running your own business! It’s always amazing to me how many people know about Kilo and the love that they have for it.
How do you hope Kilo can grow in the future?
I would like to see Kilo as becoming more than just about restaurants, evolving more into a lifestyle brand and concept. More importantly, internally, I want our team to take pride and ownership of the company that they work for, and continue with us in the journey ahead.