Cover David Gan, co-founder of Tipsy Collective
David Gan, co-founder of Tipsy Collective
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David Gan reflects on opening the group’s biggest and most ambitious project to date, Tipsy Unicorn, a massive indoor and outdoor space in Sentosa where entertainment, gastronomy and music come together
David Gan is the first to admit that he is hardly a beach person. But at the height of the pandemic in 2020, when travel borders were shut and Singapore initiated the circuit breaker, the 31-year-old co-founder and executive chairman of home-grown hospitality group Tipsy Collective found himself dreaming of a beach getaway over conversations with close friend Derek Ong, the group’s late co-founder.
“This idea really resonated with us because we were stuck in Singapore and the only place where we could feel like we were overseas was in Sentosa,” he says, adding that beach clubs for them recalled memories of drinking by the beach in Bali, for instance, and just having a good time with friends.
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Above Tipsy Unicorn's outdoor pool
Tipsy Unicorn's outdoor pool
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This yearning for a beach holiday became the seed that led to the opening of Tipsy Unicorn last October, a 19,000 sq feet beach club, which took over the space vacated by Wave House Sentosa on Siloso Beach. This is the first “mythical animal” in Tipsy Collective’s coterie of 11 dining concepts, which include Tipsy Penguin (the first restaurant which opened in the heartlands in 2018), Tipsy Bird, Tipsy Panda and Tipsy Hippo. Gan shares that Tipsy Unicorn—the collective’s biggest and most ambitious project to date—was envisioned to be a place where “nature and the excitement of entertainment, gastronomy, and music come together in perfect harmony”.
Above Outdoor seats overlooking the beach
Outdoor seats overlooking the beach
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The duo worked closely with a local designer (who also imagined the look and feel of their other Tipsy establishments) to model Tipsy Unicorn after the Las Vegas dayclubs in the US—which means less of the “tropical vibe” and more of that unique and maximalist look and feel. “We invested $6 million in this beach club,” declares Gan, and the outcome is a unicorn fantasyland brought to life with pink and purple hues dominating the three-storey venue (comprising a main dining room on the first floor, a karaoke room on the second, and a fitness and events space on the rooftop), a carousel-shaped stage in the al fresco area and an outdoor pool that resembles the shape of a cloud.
A big portion of the investment, Gan shares, was used for the state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment and kaleidoscopic lights that make for an immersive nightlife experience. “We have the biggest stage in Sentosa and the most number of weekly entertainment programmes,” he says. The beach club’s entertainment director comes up with a weekly line-up that includes DJ sets and live bands. While the club has hosted a number of overseas talents since its inception last year, Gan says that its future plans also include supporting home‑grown performers.
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Fisherman’s basket
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While Tipsy Unicorn is an introduction to the group’s new division focusing on lifestyle and entertainment, food and beverage remain a big part of its overall offerings. Thus, culinary director Alvin Tan has curated a delectable east-meets-west menu where 60 per cent are signature dishes from other Tipsy Collective outlets and the remaining 40 per cent are new creations. Gan states that this is the only venue where they serve seafood paella and hamachi ceviche doused in a spicy Thai green sauce, alongside crowd favourites such as the Wagyu beef burger with fries and the signature Basque burnt cheesecake.
When it comes to the drinks, Gan likes to “empower the brand team to propose cocktails” that they think would best suit the concept. So while guests can find the classic Negroni or Old Fashioned, they will also be able to enjoy tropical-inspired tipples such as Red Bull Sunrise, comprising the namesake ingredient mixed with vodka, Aperol, lemon and orange juice, and Gin & Berry Mash, concocted with Widges Gin, Cointreau, egg white and lime.
Sitting in the karaoke room with its own private bar, Gan admits that seeing the beach club to fruition was bittersweet, especially after Ong’s untimely passing a week before its soft launch last September. “Both of us had been very involved in the business because we firmly believed that every business needed to have a heart, and it was two of us.”
But like with all hardships, one must move forward, pushing Gan to “carry on Ong’s legacy and whatever we have built”. He adds, “Derek’s passing also made me realise that we are good at this”. He considers himself lucky to have a great team of about 290 people supporting him as they continue to expand the business in Singapore and overseas. Next up in the expansion plans is the first Tipsy Flamingo outpost in Kuala Lumpur to launch in the first quarter of 2024.
In a way, the opening of Tipsy Unicorn for Gan is symbolic as with this “mythical creature, you never know how far you can go”. And that is how he envisions the future of Tipsy Collective.
Credits
Images: Tipsy Unicorn
Dudi Aureus is the senior dining and travel editor at Tatler Singapore, covering the city’s most exciting restaurants, global travel trends, and the personalities shaping the culinary and lifestyle scenes. She also serves as co-jury chair for the Tatler Best awards in Singapore, celebrating the very best in hospitality. When she’s off duty, she can often be found at a favourite hole-in-the-wall Thai spot, savouring a perfectly balanced pad thai.
