Boxer By Day, Chef By Night: Inside The Two Worlds Of Kemuri BBQ Owner Davis Ng

Kemuri BBQ at Balestier Plaza is run by pro boxer Davis Ng

Photo credit: Davis Ng

As Davis Ng weaved through a flurry of punches, one uppercut broke through and landed squarely on his nose. He felt it crack on impact as pain shot through his face, sending him stumbling through the ropes surrounding the ring. For a moment, his vision blurred. 

The stakes could hardly have been higher, as the 29-year-old boxer was facing Thailand’s Channarong for the WBC Asia Silver Super Middleweight Championship title. But beyond the bloodshed and brawn, there is another side to Davis. When he is not stepping into the ring, he is tending charcoal fires and smoking meat as the owner of Kemuri BBQ.

Pictured above is Davis in his chef’s uniform, just outside his restaurant at Balestier Plaza, opened in October 2023. Davis combines the bold flavours of Texan barbecue with the finesse of Japanese cuisine, creating a diverse menu spanning meat platters, donburi, Cajun favourites, and Southern comfort classics. 

Photo credit: Davis Ng

As you’d expect, it takes a lot of effort to keep up with both boxing and F&B. “I’m usually at the restaurant from opening till closing,” Davis shared. “When I have a fight coming up, I wake up early to train at the gym before heading back to the restaurant by lunchtime to fire up the smoker and season the meats.”

“After service, I’ll go for a run before repeating the routine the next day. Until fight day arrives, there’s barely any time to rest. The secret to juggling it all is simple—you just do what needs to be done.”

The secret to juggling it all is simple—you just do what needs to be done.”

At the heart of the small restaurant is “Smoky”, a giant wood-fired smoker that operates on whole logs burned beneath the cooking chamber. Custom-built in Singapore and complete with its name engraved on the side, the heavy-duty equipment cost Davis slightly below $20,000. 

Meat preparation begins the night before, with excess fat trimmed from the beef before it’s seasoned with a blend of two parts black pepper, one part kosher salt, and the restaurant’s secret spice mix. The meat is then placed into the smoker and cooked for around 12 hours.

“Lunch service is pretty busy, but it’s nothing compared to dinner,” Davis said. Between services, the team uses the brief lull to prepare specials before the evening rush kicks in. By dinner, the restaurant is often packed, with diners filling the tables that line the hall. Service typically wraps up around 9pm, before the team cleans up and finally calls it a day at around 10:30pm. 

I found myself amazed by the sheer commitment to his craft, both in F&B and boxing. But it got me wondering—where did this double life come from, and how?

The birth of a dream

Photo credit: Davis Ng

Davis grew up in a family where cooking was at the heart of the household. With his parents frequently hosting dinner parties, he spent much of his childhood watching them prepare meals for guests. However, it was celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain’s memoir, Kitchen Confidential, that ultimately inspired him to pursue a career in the culinary world. 

“Reading his book painted a vivid picture of what life was like in a professional kitchen. Learning about the discipline, regimen, and camaraderie made me realise that I wanted to open my own restaurant,” Davis said.

Photo credit: Davis Ng

That desire eventually led him to enrol in the Culinary Institute of America programme offered through the Singapore Institute of Technology, where he was formally introduced to the art of smoking meats. He would later launch his first home-based business, Bacon King, in 2021, specialising in premium wood-smoked meats. 

“It all started with serving bacon to my family and friends, which soon gained traction on Instagram,” he recalled. “I went from smoking just 5kg of pork belly to 80kg, and it eventually got to the point where my dad’s car smelled like bacon from all the deliveries.”

“I went from smoking just 5kg of pork belly to 80kg, and it eventually got to the point where my dad’s car smelled like bacon from all the deliveries.”

An overseas internship with one of Texas’ finest barbecue restaurants, LeRoy & Lewis Barbecue, in 2022 proved to be a defining experience for him, as he fully immersed himself in one of the world’s most renowned barbecue capitals.

“The moment I started working in Texas, I realised I actually didn’t know anything,” he admitted. “We began with butchery before we were even allowed to touch the smoker. The culture there is very open, with everyone willing to share their knowledge. I really admired that, and it’s something I’ve tried to bring into my own kitchen.” 

Armed with the knowledge he picked up in Texas, Davis took a leap of faith and launched his brick-and-mortar store, Kemuri BBQ. However, this transition came with its own set of challenges. 

Besides learning how to balance the books, I also had to figure out what suits the local palate,” he said. “Some sauces that work well in the United States can come across as too sour or too salty for Singaporeans. Our goal is to preserve the richness of American barbecue while incorporating flavours that feel more familiar to local diners.” 

Davis’ meticulous attention to detail extends to the way he sources every cut of meat. The restaurant primarily uses Australian Wagyu for its beef, which he says comes closest to replicating the quality and flavour of the meat he worked with in Texas. The pork is imported from the United States, while the chicken and duck are sourced locally. 

“Most Singaporeans prefer their meat on the fattier side, but I learned in Texas that brisket needs to be properly trimmed before it goes into the smoker,” he explained. “We also have to render any visible translucent fat, as leaving it on would make the meat overly cloying.” 

Man behind the gloves

Photo credit: Davis Ng

But Davis wasn’t settling on just one raison d’être. He first discovered his passion for the sport at the age of 15 while studying at Saint Andrew’s Secondary School, and has since gone on to compete in more than 40 professional bouts. 

“Boxing has made me the man I am today. The training routines closely mirror those of a professional kitchen, as everything we do has to be highly regimented and disciplined,” he said.

“Boxing has made me the man I am today. The training routines closely mirror those of a professional kitchen, as everything we do has to be highly regimented and disciplined.”

Photo credit: Davis Ng

That discipline was put to the ultimate test in the lead-up to the WBC Asia Silver Super Middleweight Championship bout. Facing a Thai national champion boxer, Davis had to lose 15kg in just two months—a grueling weight cut that pushed both his body and mental resilience to the limit.

“The weight cut left me depleted and even gave me a fever, so I wasn’t in my best form. I was bleeding by the seventh round, but something just snapped inside me. I chased him down in the final round and won by split decision,” Davis recalled, describing the feeling of holding the championship belt as being like cradling his firstborn child.

From ringside to smokehouse

Davis’ all-in attitude shows up in Kemuri BBQ’s menu. While the restaurant is best known for its Texan smoked meats, the Japanese influence here shows up in more places than one. Recently, Davis introduced an izakaya-style concept to the restaurant. “Our izakaya menu is still in its early stages and may be something more niche, but I hope to bring the same warmth I experienced in Texas and Kansai to Singaporeans,” said Davis.

Nevertheless, the smoked meats are the main draw. A great example is the Texas Cinco (from $90++), a generous platter featuring a choice of five meats—up to two of which can be beef—alongside other proteins such as pork, poultry, and salmon, as well as two side dishes. 

Our favourite cut of meat was the Dino Ribs, packed with a bold and intense beefy flavour. Rich marbling and luscious pockets of fat highlight the quality of the Wagyu, while the bark forms a flavourful crust that encases the meat’s tender, juicy interior. The long smoking process also infuses every bite with a deep, wood-smoked aroma, adding another layer of depth to the beef’s natural richness. 

Aside from smoked meat, the restaurant also offers everything from the one-pot rice dish Jambalaya ($35++/$50++) to The “OG” Burger ($25++). The diversity is as impressive as the quality of the dishes. 

You’ve probably already heard plenty about popular American barbecue spots, including Jett’s Barbecue or Decker Barbecue, but we firmly believe Kemuri BBQ deserves just as much recognition as those heavyweights. Beyond the quality of the meats, a closer look at what goes on behind the scenes reveals why the flavours are so deeply infused and pronounced.

As memorable as the food was, it wasn’t the only thing that left an impression on us. With his burly frame and battle-hardened appearance, Davis might seem intimidating at first glance, but spend just a few minutes with him and that impression quickly fades. Warm, approachable, and quietly humble, he leads with the same easygoing nature that’s reflected in the camaraderie he shares with his small kitchen team.

Watching them at work, I noticed how effortlessly everyone communicated and worked in sync, with laughter and light-hearted banter breaking out between shovelling meat and chicken wings into the smoker. Davis had clearly fostered a workplace built on mutual respect, where everyone genuinely enjoys working together.

Nearly three years into running Kemuri, Davis has weathered the many highs and lows of building Kemuri BBQ from the ground up. Yet through it all, he remains deeply grateful for the journey that has brought him here today. 

“Opening my own restaurant has always been my dream,” he reflected. “I grew up watching cooking shows and exploring different restaurants with my parents, and looking back now, it feels surreal. I’m incredibly grateful to have exactly what I wanted when I was a kid.” 

As we left, I thought about the restaurant’s name. Kemuri means “smoke” in Japanese, and while smoke gives barbecued meats their unmistakable character, it’s the people behind Kemuri BBQ—their hard work, dedication, and craft—that give the restaurant its soul. 

For a look behind the scenes of one of Singapore’s most famous rice dumpling brands, read our Kim Choo Kueh Chang interview, or check out our piece on the rise of Chinese F&B brands in Singapore.

Address: 400 Balestier Road, #01-41, Balestier Plaza, Singapore 329802
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 5:30pm to 10pm, Fri-Sat 12pm to 10:30pm, Sun 12pm to 10pm
Tel: 9466 6919
Website
Kemuri BBQ is not halal-certified.

Photos taken by Heather Ng.
This was an independent feature by Eatbook.sg.