Grilled: Fatboy's Founder Serves Up Chicken Caesar Burgers

In the lead up to the Beijinger's month-long Burger Cup (kicking off May 16 with burger specials around town), we take a closer look at some of this year's participants. We start by grilling Kennie Tay, co-founder of Fatboy's, one of the many restaurateurs who will not only be slinging juicy beef patties at our May 28 Burger Festival but is also vying for the title of Burger Cup champion (voting for which begins on May 30).

A portly fellow, sporting a backwards baseball cap and an ear-to-ear grin, Kennie proved to be a warm and friendly host, eager to tell us what sets Fatboy's apart at one of the restaurant's cushy, 50's diner-style booths. Before long he was regaling us with tales about the cookouts, classic rock, and other personal milestones that lead to the opening of this popular burger chain.

How long have you been a burger flipper?
My brother Bernie and I founded Fatboy's in Singapore in 2009. He is spearheading our branches in Singapore, Malaysia, and Bali. I'm handling our Beijing, Cambodia, and Thailand branches. He and I worked at many restaurants before we started Fatboy's. I got my start at a lot of Singaporean style places, while Bernie learned much of what he knows while working at the Hard Rock Cafe. He started as a server, and he worked his way up to the AGM of their Hong Kong branch. Back in the day, we'd do a lot of cookouts in our spare time in Singapore, experimenting with toppings for our friends. We decided to open a place of our own before long, because we had such a love of burgers.

Give us the lowdown on your signature burgers (discounted versions of which will be available at the Beijinger's 2016 Burger Festival on May 28):

Wimpy, RMB 88
Topped with a fried egg, smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, and our homemade barbecue sauce. This sauce has a special twist – rather than the smoked hickory taste of typical barbecue sauce, ours has a tinge of chili. So it's a bit spicier, making it more suitable for the Asian tastes [laughs]. We prefer to put cheddar on the Wimpy, because it's the classic option for cheeseburgers.

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Stay tuned for further info on Burger Days discounts at Fatboy's and other restaurants around town from May 16 onward. Also, be sure to check the Beijinger WeChat for regular updates on the Burger Cup competition (voting for which begins May 30), and how you can cast your ballot for 2016's beef patty champion (which will be crowned on June 13).

The Beijinger's 2016 Burger Cup is brought to you in cooperation with the following sponsors: Oasis Hospital, McCain Fries, Santa Fe Movers, and Etonkids.