It’s late afternoon at 1-Alfaro, one of Singapore’s newest destination dining concepts perched high on the 34th floor of Labrador Tower in Pasir Panjang. The view is staggering: The Straits of Singapore unfurl in a shimmer of late-day light, tankers bobbing on the horizon like a slow-moving ballet.
By 6pm, as the sun begins its dramatic descent, the space transforms. Couples lean into each other across tables by the glass, large families cluster in celebratory laughter, and after-work executives loosen their ties over cocktails.
The energy is unmistakable – and palpable, too: Here is a venue designed not just to serve food, but to hold moments. And in a neighbourhood where mid- to high-end dining options are sparse, 1-Alfaro has quickly become the place to bring clients, mark milestones, or simply linger in the glow of Singapore’s southern waterfront.
1-Alfaro, located in Labrador Tower, is 1-Group's latest rooftop concept. (Photo: 1-Group)
It’s a bright picture against a darker backdrop in Singapore’s F&B scene. Almost daily, headlines announce another restaurant closure or F&B company woe. Rising rents, escalating operation costs, inflation, labour shortages, and shifting diner expectations have created what some call a “perfect storm”. The mood across the F&B industry, therefore, is cautious, even grim.
Yet here is 1-Group, celebrating 20 years not just of survival, but of growth. At a time when many peers are shuttering, it is expanding, launching new concepts, and cementing itself as Singapore’s largest independent lifestyle and hospitality group.
“We have always built with resilience in mind,” said Joseph Ong, the group’s founder, chairman, and managing director. “Our portfolio is intentionally diverse. We don’t depend on a single format or audience. That spread helps us stay balanced when one part of the market slows down.”
Joseph Ong had no culinary training, no design background, and no prior experience in F&B before he started his company. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
That diversity is evident in 1-Group’s holdings today: 33 brands in Singapore, five more in Melaka, with an annual revenue reported at S$71.7 million (US$55.36 million) in 2025 (the company is privately owned). Its venues span rooftops, heritage mansions, shophouses, glasshouses, and office towers; its cuisines range from Venetian to Peruvian, Argentinian to modern Chinese, Greek to kappo-style Japanese.
This spread is not haphazard. Each space is designed to be versatile.
“We have always believed that a space should serve more than one purpose,” Ong explained. “A restaurant should be able to host a wedding. A rooftop bar should be able to transform into a private event venue. That flexibility is built into our DNA, not added on later.”
It’s a philosophy that has allowed the group to weather market swings while continuing to deliver what guests seek: Experiences worth leaving home for.
1-Group’s origin story is anything but conventional. Back when Ong was still working full-time at Symantec (after a career built at Ernst and Young, KPMG and Arthur Andersen), he began what was meant to be a simple MBA project.
He had no culinary training, no design background, and no prior experience in F&B. What he did have was a question: Could a sustainable lifestyle and dining business be built purely on the backbone of structure, systems and strategy? That experiment became the seed that grew into one of Singapore’s most influential hospitality groups.
When Ong started the company in 2005, then called 1-Rochester, Singapore’s culinary scene looked very different. The city was rebounding from SARS with GDP growth of 6.4 per cent, and stood on the cusp of a housing boom. The Dempsey area had just begun its transformation, and, thanks to the success of establishments like PS Cafe Harding Road, there was a growing appetite for lifestyle concepts beyond conventional restaurants.
UNA at One Rochester. (Photo: 1-Group)
At Rochester Park, a colonial enclave once home to British military families, Ong opened UNA at One Rochester. Housed in a black-and-white bungalow, it offered alfresco dining, garden courtyards, candlelight, and live music – an experience unlike the city’s typically formal, indoor dining rooms.
“At One Rochester, the goal was simple. We wanted to surprise people,” Ong recalled. “Dining in Singapore at the time was predictable. We wanted to create something different – a space where people could slow down, linger, and feel transported without leaving the city.”
UNA relocated to Alkaff Mansion in 2018 when Rochester Park’s lease wasn’t renewed. But the DNA of that first experiment carried forward: A knack for identifying offbeat, often overlooked locations and transforming them into destinations. From The Summerhouse at Seletar Aerospace Park to the hilltop gardens of Alkaff Mansion, 1-Group has consistently created venues that feel both unexpected and deeply memorable.
The Summerhouse at Seletar Aerospace Park. (Photo: 1-Group)
“We don’t force a concept onto a location,” Ong explained. “We start with the space – its story, its surroundings, who it naturally attracts. Then we ask, ‘What would people want to come back for?’ That’s what guides us.”
Its latest expansion is beyond Singapore’s borders. In 2023, the group opened 1-Altitude Melaka, betting on the historic city’s fast-rising tourism sector. With 8.7 million visitors by mid-2024, largely from China, Melaka is proving to be the right call.
From day one, 1-Group’s venues have become backdrops to people’s most important memories: Engagements, weddings, milestone birthdays. That “emotional anchoring” was deliberate.
“Many of our guests return for different chapters of their lives,” Ong said. “One couple got engaged at 1-Altitude, held their wedding dinner at one of our heritage venues, came back for their child’s first birthday, and more recently celebrated an anniversary. What’s stayed with me isn’t the logistics, it’s the trust. That continuity tells me we’ve built something deeper than a one-off experience. That’s the real win.”
1-Group opened 1-Altitude Melaka in 2023, betting on the historic city’s fast-rising tourism sector. (Photo: 1-Group)
He recalled another wedding that still moves him. “It was a mixed-culture marriage – two very different family expectations, especially around food and ceremony. Instead of pushing for compromise, our planner suggested two separate receptions on the same day. One formal and traditional, the other relaxed and contemporary. Logistically, it was complex. But emotionally, it worked. Everyone felt respected. That’s the kind of hospitality we believe in. It’s not transactional, it’s relational.”
This ethos has been institutionalised through 1-Host, now Singapore’s largest wedding and events organiser. But Ong insists it began organically. “Janet [Sim, International Director of Sales and Events] understood this from the start. She wasn’t just planning events, she was managing emotions, families, cultures. That emotional depth became part of who we were.”
The Alkaff Mansion has become one of Singapore's iconic wedding venues. (Photo: 1-Group)
Part of 1-Group’s staying power comes from how it is led. Ong pioneered what he calls “Collective Leadership” – a decentralised model that pushes ownership down to each venue. Tier 1 of this Leadership, or the Senior Management Team, is 20-strong. It includes long-serving staff like Sim (who has been with the company for 18 years) and Chris Millar, who heads international marketing (16 years).
“When I started the company, I was still working full-time, so I had to build a system that didn’t depend on me,” he explained. “Collective Leadership means giving our teams real autonomy. They’re responsible for the numbers, the experience, the people. Beyond delegating tasks, it’s about sharing ownership. Once that’s in place, growth becomes sustainable.”
An intimate garden dome at The Summerhouse. (Photo: 1-Group)
The model has clear advantages. Venue managers can respond to feedback immediately. At The Summerhouse, for instance, consistent guest requests for privacy during special occasions led the team to design intimate garden domes – now one of its most iconic features.
“Because our leadership model is decentralised, every venue team has the authority to act. They don’t have to escalate everything to head office. That agility keeps us sharp and relevant to what our guests want,” Ong said.
The approach has also created upward mobility within the company. “Many of our leaders started off in entry-level roles, like interns or service staff, and grew to run venues like they were their own business,” Ong added. “That emotional investment shows when resources are tight. They adapt, innovate, and keep the guest experience strong without being told.”
Still, Ong acknowledges that decentralisation comes with risks. Without strong mentorship and a shared sense of purpose, autonomy can drift. Which is why he emphasises training, cross-exposure, and above all, clarity of vision. “Leadership, for us, is a collective journey. We move forward by growing together and embracing ideas from anywhere.”
1-Arden is a multi-concept lifestyle enclave perched on the 51st floor of CapitaSpring. (Photo: 1-Group)
In an industry often obsessed with expansion, Ong is quick to stress that 1-Group’s growth is not growth for growth’s sake.
“We want to keep building places that matter, not just in Singapore, but wherever there’s an appetite for meaningful experiences. It’s not about planting flags. It’s about growing with people who share our values, who care about culture, service, and emotional connection.”
That means every new venue must be emotionally resonant, versatile, and purpose-driven. Weddings remain non-negotiable. Venues must either be iconic in nature or have the potential to become so.
“We always start with the space,” Ong explained. “What is its story? Who does it attract? If we get that right, the model travels.”
The lookout at 1-Flowerhill. (Photo: 1-Group)
For Ong, who grew up in a one-room HDB flat before building a successful career in tech, the journey from rags to riches has been less about personal empire and more about shared opportunity.
“Resilience doesn’t mean pushing through blindly,” he said, a lesson he imparts to young leaders. “It means learning when to pivot, when to ask for help, and when to put your team’s wellbeing ahead of short-term gain.”
As Ong reflects on two decades of building 1-Group, the pride is not just in the spaces, but in the people. “What stands out are the quiet moments of breakthrough – the first couple who chose to get married at one of our venues, the guests who return year after year because it feels like home. These remind me we’re not just in the business of F&B. We are in the business of memories.”
Part of 1-Group’s staying power comes from how it is led. Ong pioneered what he calls “Collective Leadership” – a decentralised model that pushes ownership down to each venue. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
That sense of continuity has been matched by a quiet resilience. “I am also proud of how we have weathered change,” Ong added. “Through economic shifts, industry challenges, and a global pandemic, we have remained independent, adaptable, and deeply rooted in our values. That kind of resilience only happens when people believe in what they are building.”
And perhaps his proudest achievement isn’t a venue at all, but the culture that holds it all together. “I am proud of the culture we have shaped,” he said. “One that attracts people who care deeply, who stay, and who grow with us. That is what gives our work longevity. It is not just the places we build, but the people who bring them to life.”
And that, perhaps, is the real secret. In an industry often reduced to profit margins and survival rates, 1-Group has built its reputation on something far more enduring: The art of sparking joy.
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By 6pm, as the sun begins its dramatic descent, the space transforms. Couples lean into each other across tables by the glass, large families cluster in celebratory laughter, and after-work executives loosen their ties over cocktails.
The energy is unmistakable – and palpable, too: Here is a venue designed not just to serve food, but to hold moments. And in a neighbourhood where mid- to high-end dining options are sparse, 1-Alfaro has quickly become the place to bring clients, mark milestones, or simply linger in the glow of Singapore’s southern waterfront.
1-Alfaro, located in Labrador Tower, is 1-Group's latest rooftop concept. (Photo: 1-Group)
It’s a bright picture against a darker backdrop in Singapore’s F&B scene. Almost daily, headlines announce another restaurant closure or F&B company woe. Rising rents, escalating operation costs, inflation, labour shortages, and shifting diner expectations have created what some call a “perfect storm”. The mood across the F&B industry, therefore, is cautious, even grim.
Yet here is 1-Group, celebrating 20 years not just of survival, but of growth. At a time when many peers are shuttering, it is expanding, launching new concepts, and cementing itself as Singapore’s largest independent lifestyle and hospitality group.
“We have always built with resilience in mind,” said Joseph Ong, the group’s founder, chairman, and managing director. “Our portfolio is intentionally diverse. We don’t depend on a single format or audience. That spread helps us stay balanced when one part of the market slows down.”
A PORTFOLIO OF POSSIBILITIES
Joseph Ong had no culinary training, no design background, and no prior experience in F&B before he started his company. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
That diversity is evident in 1-Group’s holdings today: 33 brands in Singapore, five more in Melaka, with an annual revenue reported at S$71.7 million (US$55.36 million) in 2025 (the company is privately owned). Its venues span rooftops, heritage mansions, shophouses, glasshouses, and office towers; its cuisines range from Venetian to Peruvian, Argentinian to modern Chinese, Greek to kappo-style Japanese.
This spread is not haphazard. Each space is designed to be versatile.
“We have always believed that a space should serve more than one purpose,” Ong explained. “A restaurant should be able to host a wedding. A rooftop bar should be able to transform into a private event venue. That flexibility is built into our DNA, not added on later.”
It’s a philosophy that has allowed the group to weather market swings while continuing to deliver what guests seek: Experiences worth leaving home for.
A REGIONAL LIFESTYLE EMPIRE
1-Group’s origin story is anything but conventional. Back when Ong was still working full-time at Symantec (after a career built at Ernst and Young, KPMG and Arthur Andersen), he began what was meant to be a simple MBA project.
He had no culinary training, no design background, and no prior experience in F&B. What he did have was a question: Could a sustainable lifestyle and dining business be built purely on the backbone of structure, systems and strategy? That experiment became the seed that grew into one of Singapore’s most influential hospitality groups.
When Ong started the company in 2005, then called 1-Rochester, Singapore’s culinary scene looked very different. The city was rebounding from SARS with GDP growth of 6.4 per cent, and stood on the cusp of a housing boom. The Dempsey area had just begun its transformation, and, thanks to the success of establishments like PS Cafe Harding Road, there was a growing appetite for lifestyle concepts beyond conventional restaurants.
UNA at One Rochester. (Photo: 1-Group)
At Rochester Park, a colonial enclave once home to British military families, Ong opened UNA at One Rochester. Housed in a black-and-white bungalow, it offered alfresco dining, garden courtyards, candlelight, and live music – an experience unlike the city’s typically formal, indoor dining rooms.
“At One Rochester, the goal was simple. We wanted to surprise people,” Ong recalled. “Dining in Singapore at the time was predictable. We wanted to create something different – a space where people could slow down, linger, and feel transported without leaving the city.”
UNA relocated to Alkaff Mansion in 2018 when Rochester Park’s lease wasn’t renewed. But the DNA of that first experiment carried forward: A knack for identifying offbeat, often overlooked locations and transforming them into destinations. From The Summerhouse at Seletar Aerospace Park to the hilltop gardens of Alkaff Mansion, 1-Group has consistently created venues that feel both unexpected and deeply memorable.
The Summerhouse at Seletar Aerospace Park. (Photo: 1-Group)
“We don’t force a concept onto a location,” Ong explained. “We start with the space – its story, its surroundings, who it naturally attracts. Then we ask, ‘What would people want to come back for?’ That’s what guides us.”
Its latest expansion is beyond Singapore’s borders. In 2023, the group opened 1-Altitude Melaka, betting on the historic city’s fast-rising tourism sector. With 8.7 million visitors by mid-2024, largely from China, Melaka is proving to be the right call.
MEMORIES, NOT JUST MEALS
From day one, 1-Group’s venues have become backdrops to people’s most important memories: Engagements, weddings, milestone birthdays. That “emotional anchoring” was deliberate.
“Many of our guests return for different chapters of their lives,” Ong said. “One couple got engaged at 1-Altitude, held their wedding dinner at one of our heritage venues, came back for their child’s first birthday, and more recently celebrated an anniversary. What’s stayed with me isn’t the logistics, it’s the trust. That continuity tells me we’ve built something deeper than a one-off experience. That’s the real win.”
1-Group opened 1-Altitude Melaka in 2023, betting on the historic city’s fast-rising tourism sector. (Photo: 1-Group)
He recalled another wedding that still moves him. “It was a mixed-culture marriage – two very different family expectations, especially around food and ceremony. Instead of pushing for compromise, our planner suggested two separate receptions on the same day. One formal and traditional, the other relaxed and contemporary. Logistically, it was complex. But emotionally, it worked. Everyone felt respected. That’s the kind of hospitality we believe in. It’s not transactional, it’s relational.”
This ethos has been institutionalised through 1-Host, now Singapore’s largest wedding and events organiser. But Ong insists it began organically. “Janet [Sim, International Director of Sales and Events] understood this from the start. She wasn’t just planning events, she was managing emotions, families, cultures. That emotional depth became part of who we were.”
The Alkaff Mansion has become one of Singapore's iconic wedding venues. (Photo: 1-Group)
LEADING TOGETHER
Part of 1-Group’s staying power comes from how it is led. Ong pioneered what he calls “Collective Leadership” – a decentralised model that pushes ownership down to each venue. Tier 1 of this Leadership, or the Senior Management Team, is 20-strong. It includes long-serving staff like Sim (who has been with the company for 18 years) and Chris Millar, who heads international marketing (16 years).
“When I started the company, I was still working full-time, so I had to build a system that didn’t depend on me,” he explained. “Collective Leadership means giving our teams real autonomy. They’re responsible for the numbers, the experience, the people. Beyond delegating tasks, it’s about sharing ownership. Once that’s in place, growth becomes sustainable.”
An intimate garden dome at The Summerhouse. (Photo: 1-Group)
The model has clear advantages. Venue managers can respond to feedback immediately. At The Summerhouse, for instance, consistent guest requests for privacy during special occasions led the team to design intimate garden domes – now one of its most iconic features.
“Because our leadership model is decentralised, every venue team has the authority to act. They don’t have to escalate everything to head office. That agility keeps us sharp and relevant to what our guests want,” Ong said.
The approach has also created upward mobility within the company. “Many of our leaders started off in entry-level roles, like interns or service staff, and grew to run venues like they were their own business,” Ong added. “That emotional investment shows when resources are tight. They adapt, innovate, and keep the guest experience strong without being told.”
Still, Ong acknowledges that decentralisation comes with risks. Without strong mentorship and a shared sense of purpose, autonomy can drift. Which is why he emphasises training, cross-exposure, and above all, clarity of vision. “Leadership, for us, is a collective journey. We move forward by growing together and embracing ideas from anywhere.”
DEFINING GROWTH
1-Arden is a multi-concept lifestyle enclave perched on the 51st floor of CapitaSpring. (Photo: 1-Group)
In an industry often obsessed with expansion, Ong is quick to stress that 1-Group’s growth is not growth for growth’s sake.
“We want to keep building places that matter, not just in Singapore, but wherever there’s an appetite for meaningful experiences. It’s not about planting flags. It’s about growing with people who share our values, who care about culture, service, and emotional connection.”
That means every new venue must be emotionally resonant, versatile, and purpose-driven. Weddings remain non-negotiable. Venues must either be iconic in nature or have the potential to become so.
“We always start with the space,” Ong explained. “What is its story? Who does it attract? If we get that right, the model travels.”
The lookout at 1-Flowerhill. (Photo: 1-Group)
A LIFE IN EXPERIENCES
For Ong, who grew up in a one-room HDB flat before building a successful career in tech, the journey from rags to riches has been less about personal empire and more about shared opportunity.
“Resilience doesn’t mean pushing through blindly,” he said, a lesson he imparts to young leaders. “It means learning when to pivot, when to ask for help, and when to put your team’s wellbeing ahead of short-term gain.”
As Ong reflects on two decades of building 1-Group, the pride is not just in the spaces, but in the people. “What stands out are the quiet moments of breakthrough – the first couple who chose to get married at one of our venues, the guests who return year after year because it feels like home. These remind me we’re not just in the business of F&B. We are in the business of memories.”
Part of 1-Group’s staying power comes from how it is led. Ong pioneered what he calls “Collective Leadership” – a decentralised model that pushes ownership down to each venue. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)
That sense of continuity has been matched by a quiet resilience. “I am also proud of how we have weathered change,” Ong added. “Through economic shifts, industry challenges, and a global pandemic, we have remained independent, adaptable, and deeply rooted in our values. That kind of resilience only happens when people believe in what they are building.”
And perhaps his proudest achievement isn’t a venue at all, but the culture that holds it all together. “I am proud of the culture we have shaped,” he said. “One that attracts people who care deeply, who stay, and who grow with us. That is what gives our work longevity. It is not just the places we build, but the people who bring them to life.”
And that, perhaps, is the real secret. In an industry often reduced to profit margins and survival rates, 1-Group has built its reputation on something far more enduring: The art of sparking joy.
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