When Zaobao Lifestyle invited me for an interview, I felt a mix of surprise and gratitude. Mandarin was the mother tongue of many of us born in the 1960s — it is familiar, grounding, and deeply part of who we are. To be able to express Brera’s journey in Mandarin felt like returning to my roots.
I joked with the journalist, Emily Chan, that I tend to “想很多” — always thinking, analysing, and asking myself difficult questions. Thankfully, she didn’t say “想太多”!
Instead, she listened with warmth, patience, and a genuine desire to understand Brera’s story. And from my long, winding sharing, she distilled everything into a beautifully written article that touched my heart.
The Unexpected Path That Led to Brera
Many people don’t know this, but I never set out to run a bakery.
I was trained as an engineer, then later moved into human resources for most of my career. Baking came into my life only through circumstance, curiosity, and eventually — calling.
After years abroad and many meals cooked for friends, I found myself increasingly drawn to European breads: sourdoughs, crusty loaves, and the rustic flavours I loved. When my husband and I returned to Singapore, everything began with a small space at Empress Road. No grand business plan. No strategy deck. Just a desire to introduce artisan bread, made with honest ingredients and traditional methods, to our local community.
In 2015, very few people believed European bread would survive here.
“It’s too hard.”
“It’s too sour.”
“It’s too expensive.”
“Singaporeans won’t like this.”
But I believed that if people understood the craft — the slow fermentation, the open crumb, the caramelised crust, the nourishing texture — they would come to appreciate it. Foreign customers encouraged us early on, and slowly, Singaporeans began to embrace the breads too. Inch by inch, taste by taste, mindsets shifted.
Zaobao captured that journey beautifully — the strange but meaningful transition from engineering logic to running a bakery, and how that analytical approach shapes every decision I make, from ingredients to hiring.
More Than Bread: The Value We Hope to Bring
One part of the article that moved me deeply was the focus on something beyond bread:
the intention behind what we do.
Since day one, Brera has chosen to hire seniors, individuals with special needs, ex-inmates, and youth who have fallen through the cracks. People often ask why.
My answer is simple:
Because a bakery should feed more than stomachs. It should feed hearts, dignity, and opportunity.
As a long-time HR practitioner, I can’t help but see potential in people — even when they don’t see it in themselves. And even if they are not a fit for our roles, I always try to guide them toward something that suits their journey better.
Every loaf sold, every pastry baked — I hope it carries that extra measure of warmth.
A Moment at the National Gallery
During the Zaobao interview, we were unexpectedly joined by Minister Chan Chun Sing and SPS Eric Chua, who happened to be patrons at our National Gallery outlet that day. It was a lovely surprise — a reminder of how far Brera has come, and the diverse community that now gathers around our tables.
To serve artisan bread and pastries in such a historic, beautiful space still feels surreal — a blessing I don’t take lightly.
Gratitude, in Every Language
To Zaobao, thank you for giving me the opportunity to share this story — in Mandarin, the language of my childhood, my studies, and many of my earliest memories.
Thank you for making me feel heard, honoured, and seen.
And thank you for capturing Brera not just as a bakery, but as a labour of love and a journey of faith.
To our Brera family — customers, friends, partners, and supporters — thank you for believing in us.
This chapter is as much yours as it is ours.
With heartfelt appreciation,
Thrina
Founder, Bakery Brera
