Day 7

Loh Lik Peng, 36, hotelier

He is known as a hotelier with an eye for design who owns boutique hotels 1929, New Majestic and an upcoming one in Little India's Dickson Road.

With the opening of three restaurants this year, however, he could well be called a restauranteur: He runs Japanese eatery Chiharu in Bukit Timah Road, modern Chinese restaurant Jing at One Fullerton and modern European restaurant Braise on Sentosa.

Despite the economic downturn, he is going ahead with several projects next year, including a hotel and restaurant in Shanghai and a service apartment block in London.

His love life is in top gear too.

He has been dating violinist Min Lee, 25, since July. They met through her sister Tjin Lee, festival director of this year's Singapore Fashion Festival and a good friend of his.

What's your ideal present for Christmas?

A vintage chair. I've been looking to add a personal touch to the reception area of Jing and a really rare and unusual chair would do the trick.

What was the best thing that happened to you this year?

Meeting my girlfriend Min. She's a wonderful person, I like everything about her. She's smart, talented, kind... I could go on and on about her.

What was the worst?

All my restaurants and hotels are suffering from the economic downturn and business has dropped 10 to 20 per cent.

The impact on the restaurants was quite immediate as people have cut down on dining out. The hotels are not as affected for now as people book in advance, though I expect things to get worse in the coming months.

What's your wish for 2009?

I hope that 2009 is a good year for me and that my family will be healthy and happy. I have to be philosophical about the economic slowdown as what comes will come and I just have to deal with it.

I still have many projects so I hope things will go smoothly.

Wish list (from left in Photo 7)

1. Fritz Hansen 50th Anniversary Limited Edition Egg chair, $27,000

2. Moooi Set Up Shade floor lamp, $7,475

3. Carl Hansen CH07 Shell chair, $6,145, from Space Furniture

4. Louis Poulsen Panthella table lamp $1,430

5. Zanotta Doris side table, $4,910

6. Vintage Finn Juhl two-seater, about $10,000 (similar piece available from www.dmk.dk)

7. Vitra Noguchi rocking stool, $1,575

All items from Space Furniture, 03-05 Millenia Walk, except the two-seater which Loh owns.

Photographer: RAYMOND LEE @ Capsule; Creative director: JEROME AWASTHI; Hair: EVANDE LOH, from Shunji Matsuo; Location: Jing Restaurant, 01-02 One Fullerton; Clothes: Loh's own

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Dec 19, 2008.