Managing director of now defunct Hooters opens new coffee & beer restaurant in Tanjong Katong

What is life after Hooters?

Coffee and beer, apparently.

Selena Chua, 38, the former managing director of the now defunct Hooters in Clarke Quay, has opened a new place.

Located at 283 Tanjong Katong Road, the new restaurant, Beans & Barrels, has been opened since May 10.

Concept

Beans & Barrels is a breakfast-and-beer concept.

Chua said the establishment’s name is literally what you see is what you get.

Atmosphere

Diners will be greeted with hits from the 1970s to 1980s playing softly in the background, as well as plenty of Easter eggs in the restaurant that hint at Chua's previous venture.

Hooters landed in Singapore in 1996 and was the brand's first franchised store in Asia, thanks to Chua's dad who brought the business here.

It all started with a trip to the U.S. in 1995, when the Chua family visited a Hooters there.

Little owl figurines are on display now at the new eatery, alongside photographs of aircraft carriers and submarines, a throwback to Hooters’ iconic owl logo and its history of hosting American service personnel.

Menu

The new restaurant menu has borrowed some of the classics from Hooters, such as the Chicken Wings (S$13.90), smothered in Buffalo sauce and served with ranch on the side.

The mouthfeel of the wings were consistent with what Hooters served previously.

The Buffalo sauce provided a nice balance of mild spiciness and tanginess.

The menu also includes new additions, such as “Ah Ma’s Cai Tou Kueh” (S$7.90), which is a pan-fried steamed radish cake made with grated daikon and rice flour.

It had a crispy exterior and fluffy interior, while the sambal sauce served on the side hit the spot.

Chua emphasised that the dish was the “first thing that came to mind” when opening Beans & Barrels.

The recipe belonged to her grandmother, who passed away in 2025.

Chua said: “This is something that I like. I love it. Every time she makes it, even how full I am, I'll still be able to gobble down one or two plates of it.”

When asked about the pricing of the menu items, Chua’s sister, Stella Chua, described them as “affordable”.

So much so Chua's nephew should be able to afford to dine there regularly after school.

Brought Hooters staff over to work

After Hooters closed in Singapore on Jan. 31, Chua still had a passion for the food and beverage industry.

When asked about her decision to switch locations, Chua said Hooters at Clarke Quay was “too big a space”, and manpower was an issue.

Downsizing works, she said: “I opened this place also because it's something smaller, easier for me to control and also I'll be able to bring over all my staff from Hooters, because if not, then everybody will be out of job.”

Chua added that she had “quite a number” of foreign employees, and it would be “hard for them to find jobs” due to current circumstances.

On top of that, operating under an American franchise previously had limited the range of dishes she could serve, but opening Beans & Barrels gave her greater flexibility in curating the menu.

Moreover, Chua lived around Tanjong Katong.

Beans & Barrels opens from Monday to Friday from 12pm to 10pm.

It is open from 10am to 10pm on weekends.