Gourmaze
HOLLY MENNEAR and ANISH MALHAN bring UK's popular food treasure hunt adventure to Singapore
No reservations. No map. No tour guide. Gourmaze is a food walking trail treasure hunt in Chinatown with clues, surprises and delicious discoveries.
Gourmaze has blossomed into a million-dollar venture – and the founders hope to add more neighbourhoods and destinations to their forray.
GOURMAZE WAS BORN in London during UK’s COVID lockdowns, when people were bored and restless. Holly Mennear had just left her corporate job and was craving a spark of life so she got together with her friend, Anish Malhan, to work on a couple of ideas. They came up with the idea of a food walking trail treasure hunt with clues and riddles.
They explored the neighbourhoods and its food, did research on heritage and discovered interesting stories. When they launched Gourmaze, people loved the idea and so did the food establishments, who benefited from the venture.
Being half-Singaporean, Holly Mennear brought Gourmaze to Singapore. The Chinatown food treasure hunt covers a 1 – 2km loop, ideal for a relaxed afternoon of food, fun and discovery without the exertion. In this Chinatown adventure, you’ll step into the mysterious world of Madam Sampan, a fictional fortune teller from the 1900s. As her riddles guide you through the area, you’ll stop at seven heritage locations, taste local delicacies, and uncover the hidden stories behind each one.
What people love about Gourmaze is its simplicity and personal ownership of the trail. You do it your way. There is no one narrating over a headset. No app download. No guide with a flag. Just a trail of clues sent via WhatsApp, leading you from one surprise to the next.
And people are loving it. Even native Singaporeans are discovering new things and foods and bits of history they never knew about.
A chat with HOLLY MENNEAR and ANISH MALHAN, founders of Gourmaze
"We’ve partnered with local spots run by passionate owners, with their stories woven into the experience. Clues and riddles are sent to your phone, and you’ll use your surroundings to solve them, with each one leading you to a delicious food stop."
1. How did this brain bulb moment for you to create Gourmaze come about?
During lockdown in the UK, going out for food meant getting takeaway, and socialising was basically just going for walks in pairs. People were craving something fun to do and sadly the restaurant industry was struggling. Gourmaze was born out of that moment, but also tapped into a bigger shift after Covid where people were more up for memorable experiences and valuing quality time with friends and family. That shift helped Gourmaze resonate quickly and pick up momentum as things reopened.
2. What is the basic concept of Gourmaze Singapore and where is the location of the “maze”?
Our first maze is in Chinatown. It’s a self-guided adventure played via WhatsApp, where you’ll uncover stories of early Chinese settlers while tasting iconic heritage foods. We’ve partnered with local spots run by passionate owners, with their stories woven into the experience. Clues and riddles are sent to your phone, and you’ll use your surroundings to solve them, with each one leading you to a delicious food stop. It’s food, culture, puzzles, and surprise moments all rolled into one. It’s a fun, easy way to explore the area. Tourists love it, and locals have too, often discovering hidden gems or finally trying places they’d always walked past.
3. Gourmaze is a business. What has been the most challenging aspect of getting the concept up and running?
When we first started in London, the biggest challenge was getting restaurants on board. It was a completely new concept, and understandably, many partners were hesitant. They didn’t know what value we’d bring, and we didn’t have much data to prove it yet. What worked best was partnering with entrepreneurial owners who were open to trying something new. They believed in the idea, collaborated with us, and many are still with us today. Now, we’re proud to say we’re one of the biggest customers for most of our food partners.
4. Do you do a lot of research–on the heritage part of the food and the trail and the food establishments?
Yes, absolutely, and it’s one of the most fun parts of running the business. We do a lot of our own research, but also work closely with the owners of our partner restaurants. They often have stories and little anecdotes that you wouldn’t find online, and we love weaving those into the experience. And the best part is we’re constantly tasting lots of delicious food to find the right dishes to feature!
5. What do people who do a Gourmaze like most about it?
People often tell us it’s one of the most unique days out they’ve had, and love the combination of food, games and exploring the city. They love that Gourmaze feels like an adventure without the stress of planning. You just book and go, with no need to decide where to eat or what to do. The clues are fun, the game is challenging but not frustrating, and the food is always a highlight. It’s delicious, varied, and included in the ticket price, which people often say makes it great value for a three-hour experience. People also love that you can do the adventure in your own time without a tour guide, so it feels relaxed and flexible. It’s a chance to be a tourist in your own city without feeling like one. Even locals are surprised by how much they discover, from hidden food spots to stories from the streets and parts of the city they had never noticed before. It’s a genuinely fun way to spend time with friends or a partner, with plenty of laughs and moments of connection.
6. Holly, you’re half Singaporean half British.What is your favourite Singapore food and what is your favourite British food?
Great question! I tend to love the foods you just can’t get quite right outside of each country. In Singapore, my go-to is fishball noodle soup, but for a special treat it’s got to be black pepper crab. And for British food, I love fish & chips, or I’d have to say my mum’s Sunday roast. Even though she’s Singaporean, I think that still counts!
7. How do you relax after a hard day at work?
I’ve just moved to Singapore and I love how much time you can spend outdoors, especially in the warm evenings, so I try to make the most of it. I spend a lot of time jogging or walking along the Singapore River, and one of my favourite things to do is cycle or skateboard in East Coast Park. I play tennis with my husband, although he usually wins, so it’s not the most relaxing activity. I also love that you can sit outside all year round, so we often head out in the evenings to try digerent hawker centres or grab a drink by the river.
8. What is your advice to a young student who wants to start a business after coming up with a brilliant idea the way you did?
I would say that you don’t need to have all the skills or experience to get started. Everything is figure-out-able! Trust your common sense and be open to learning as you
go. Speak to others in the industry, share your idea, ask questions, and soak up as much as you can. You can learn a lot without spending much, whether it’s testing early versions of your idea or doing a few simple surveys or interviews. Surround yourself with people who lift you up – really important! And try not to get overwhelmed by the big picture. Just focus on taking small, steady steps. Progress usually happens quietly, and before you know it, you’ll have built something you’re genuinely proud of.
Story by Carol Kraal. Photographs courtesy of Gourmaze