WHEN SPARKS FLY

From his humble beginnings washing dishes at a pizza joint, Dave Pynt's rise to becoming a world-class chef, renowned for bringing wood-fire cooking to the Asian palate, is nothing short of inspiring. This is his story at the helm of Burnt Ends, the Tatler Best Singapore Restaurant of the Year 2025, and he is already working on his next chapter

- By Dawson Tan

Standing a mere arm’s length from the dancing flames within the towering Mallmann’s grill, Dave Pynt is unfazed as sparks leap into the air and glowing embers drift upward, swirling in the heat. Despite the beads of perspiration trickling down his neck, the celebrated ringmaster that is the chef-owner of Burnt Ends calmly poses for his cover shot for this story while running dinner service at the modern Australian barbecue restaurant in Dempsey Hill. His demeanour belies the fire that burns within; the flames fanning his passion for the art of wood-fire cooking.

Outside the kitchen, the burly Australian chef is evidently more relaxed, arriving in an oversized surfer’s fit when we meet the next day for this interview at the tastefully macabre Burnt Ends Bar. As we sit down, our coffees arrive shortly, a stamp of hospitality that will resurface later in our conversation. But first, we talk about genesis—the genesis of Dave Pynt, to be exact, for without it, there would be no Burnt Ends.

Since it opened in 2013, Burnt Ends has steadily gained a reputation of being hard to book—and yet, everyone still wants in. The once-standalone restaurant on Teck Lim Road has since expanded to become the behemoth that it is today, under the umbrella of Burnt Ends Hospitality Group, to include a cocktail bar, a bakery and a wine cellar focusing on Australian wines at its current Dempsey Hill location; a casual American barbecue concept, Meatsmith, in Telok Ayer; and two overseas restaurants, in Jakarta and the Maldives.

The group continues its expansion streak with the opening of a second Burnt Ends Bakery, with a hidden speakeasy, GT Bar, in February that is located within Audi House of Progress Singapore, a new immersive lifestyle space by the German carmaker. While Pynt is not one to dilute the Burnt Ends brand, these unique collaborations are forged by a synergistic affinity with like-minded partners.