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Springleaf Prata Place is probably one of the first names many Singaporeans would think of when deciding what to have for dinner.
For 18 years, the casual Indian restaurant chain has launched a variety of pratas large enough to feed an entire village.
Hell, writing this article made me want to order murtabak and prata myself.
When I interviewed the head of Springleaf Prata Place, I felt like eating the Murtaburger. Photo by Fasiha Nazren.
However, we almost wouldn’t try the unique offerings Springleaf is known for, as the restaurant’s founder was once so sure he wouldn’t venture into the F&B industry.
Is supposed to be a prata man
SV Gunalan, 47, founded Springleaf Prata Place (then known as The Prata Place) in 2003.
Photo from the National Museum of Singapore, National Heritage Board.
The founder, better known as Guna, told Mothership that his parents had run a restaurant “all their lives” and at the age of 10 he was hired to help out at the restaurant.
At the time, however, he showed little to no interest in being in the exact area he grew up in, and wanted to avoid the long hours and heat in the kitchen.
So he deepened his studies and immersed himself in the corporate world as an auditor.
Unfortunately (for him, not for us) it only took a few years before he got the itch to go back to flipping Pratas: “[I] only lasted four years in the corporate world and then realized that I was going to be a Prata man after all. ”
Expand and reward employees
At 29, he took out a loan from his parents to open his own restaurant in the Springleaf area.
Today they have nine branches across the island – a success he would never have thought possible in his early days.
He said frankly, “In the first few years I found a comfortable position and was a little lazy. I just had to train the manager and make sure everything was of the quality we wanted.”
Years later, this question kept going through his head: What is the difference between Springleaf and the typical Prata shop?
The expansion of the restaurant would not only put Springleaf’s name all over the map of Singapore, it would also give Guna’s employees the opportunity to grow.
He explained that each new branch will have a junior partner who was a former employee.
Guna (middle) with staff. Photo from Springleaf Prata Place.
In addition to helping them run the restaurant, these junior partners are also supported by a bonus that covers up to 30 percent of the restaurant’s profit.
“It’s my way of rewarding them and I can open more stores without being there all the time,” he said.
The ultimate series
One of the other things that make Springleaf special is of course the Ultimate Series.
“It didn’t take long to get it (Springleaf’s signature crispy and fluffy prata) right because that’s what my dad was doing all the time. It was when we started our crazy creations – that’s what sets us apart. “
The series first started when the restaurant was approached by Singaporean food blogger Leslie Tay to participate in the Ultimate Hawker Fest charity event in 2012.
This is how the Ultimate Murtabak, filled with cheese, mushrooms and tandoori chicken, came about:
Although the last Ultimate Hawker Fest was in 2014, Springleaf created innovative pratas every year thanks to popular demand.
“We like the concept and customers would ask if there will be something new every year. We made it our national day and 2021 was the tenth year of the series, ”he said.
While Springleaf may look like it has always appealed to them, the reality is that they are faced with their own peaks and valleys.
Biggest challenges
As with any successful business, there are inevitably positive and negative reviews.
And Springleaf is no stranger to Guna shyly bringing up the lime juice saga.
He simply said, “If we get complaints, we will go through the CCTV footage and try to restore the situation. [After 18 years,] We still make mistakes, but we learn from them. ”
The biggest problem, however, is the staff shortage that plagues many other industries in Singapore.
While advances in technology have helped, he shared that not everything can be automated.
“I love technology and that’s why our central kitchen is technology-driven. But you’ll still need someone to turn the prata around. That kind of manpower is just something you can’t replace.”
Turning around from Pratas in Vegas
As one of the premier prata restaurants in Singapore, it’s no surprise that it’s one of the many food stalls in Zouk Group’s famous Food Street Eats Las Vegas.
Opened in June 2021, the Asian-inspired Food Hall spans 24,000 square feet at Resorts World Las Vegas and is home to 16 booths from across Asia.
Other Singapore restaurants that you can find there are Boon Tong Kee and Geylang Claypot Rice.
Guna told us that sometime in 2020 he was approached by a Zouk representative. Despite initial reservations, he decided to give it a try.
“Alone, I think it would take 10 to 15 years [before entering the U.S. market]. When something like that came up, we thought, why not? “
So what does he think of his (so far) only point of sale in the USA?
Unfortunately, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, he hasn’t been to Famous Food Street Eats yet.
“But I am fully vaccinated and we plan to go with two of the chefs from India. Hopefully we will be there in December,” he said.
For now, the Vegas Outlet only has the basic Pratas like Simple, Egg, Cheese, and Bomb. But the eatery has plans to expand its Vegas menu to look “more like the Singapore menu.”
Singaporeans in the US yearning to try Springleaf’s Prata will be happy to know that the Vegas one is as authentic as it gets.
“Basically it’s still bread and curry. How much can you change about the curry? If you change too much, it’s not Indian food. The response so far has been good, ”he said.
And Guna isn’t kidding when it comes to quality control, both in Singapore and in the US
“We told the CEO [of Famous Food Street Eats] if you occasionally fly over both locations, you can simply bring a frozen package with you so that we can see the quality. It’s not just about making money, it (quality control) is still very important to us. I think Zouk likes that about us because they know we’re picky. “
Where else on the map, to Vegas?
“Prata came from India, but I want to bring Singapore Prata there. Malaysia is another attractive place. One is where my parents are from, the other is our neighbor, so this is where we look.”
Almost two decades full of memories
Guna has had many pleasant experiences after running the business for nearly two decades.
One of his favorite experiences – he giggled when he told us – involves his wife.
When Springleaf first opened, his wife occasionally helped out as the restaurant’s cashier. One day she faced a rude customer.
Guna stepped in nicely and soon the customer accepted his argument.
Awe (and perhaps a little upset) she said to him: “You are never that patient with me!”
He also recalled the good times when Springleaf became famous in newspaper articles in the early 2010s.
“We had abrasions [from making many pratas] according to the newspaper articles because we were so understaffed. So we stopped halfway, got a drink and then went on with our work, ”he said.
Planned retirement at 45
These moments are probably why he is still working despite originally planning to retire at 45.
“Last time I told myself I wanted to retire at 45. I’ve already missed that mark so my next goal is 50, but maybe that will change to 55. I enjoy what I do, so it is not a problem to get there. ” morning work. “
Is it therefore worthwhile for him to run a restaurant?
Guna gets right to the point: “If it’s successful, it’s good money.”
But he also added that founding Springleaf Prata Place ultimately made him a happy man.
“It pays off in any industry that it is your calling and you have to enjoy what you do. At the end of the day, your happiness is the most important thing.”
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Top picture from the National Museum of Singapore, National Heritage Board and @ doremi.indomie.
