S'porean influencer Lukeychan closes pasta restaurant in Bukit Merah after less than a year

Singaporean influencer Luke Chan, better known as Lukeychan, has closed his pasta restaurant PastaPapa in Bukit Merah.

Speaking to Mothership, the 28-year-old confirmed that its last day of operations was on Aug. 5.

In an Instagram story on Sep. 30, Chan also said that he was "hit with the hardest adversities" in early 2025, prompting him to choose his family over the business.

Closure due to family health challenges

Chan told Mothership that his decision to close PastaPapa was not "purely business-related" but rather concerning "pressing family health matters".

His mother had been diagnosed with stage four cancer, while his girlfriend's mother is suffering from stage three bone marrow cancer.

Chan's grandfather also passed away in early 2025.

"I had no choice but to take care of the family and focus on my content," Chan said.

"I would rather choose my family any day"

In his Instagram story, Chan said that he had opened the do-it-yourself (DIY) pasta restaurant despite people telling him that it is "tough", as he was his dream to open a food and beverage (F&B) store.

He also noted that "F&B is tough and time-consuming".

"There is only so much I can do as the only breadwinner in my family," he wrote.

"Hate me all you want," Chan said in another Instagram story following the initial one.

He added that he would "rather choose" his family "any day", adding that he would rather lose his business over the time that he has with his family.

According to an older post on Chan's Instagram, he had opened PastaPapa on Dec. 12, 2024.

Top photo by Mothership & via Google Maps