Taiyo Camp Club by Shane Pow: Cosy campfire-inspired pop-up with bakes and savouries at Chef X

Looking for a warm, cosy nook for an afternoon bite?

Chef X — an incubation space for aspiring chefs — has launched its latest pop-up and will run until Jan 6, with Singapore actor and host Shane Pow taking the spotlight as its 10th resident. 

Known for his roles in Mandarin television shows such as Family Ties and When Duty Calls, he now channels his creative energy into a different venture — one that unfolds in the kitchen!

If you haven’t heard of Chef X, it’s a platform by Far East Organisation that invites home-based cooks to trial their concept in a live cafe setting. Each residency lasts for four to eight weeks —  and allows cooks to receive feedback, meet with new diners, and tweak their ideas. 

His pop-up cafe, Taiyo Camp Club, is a charming extension of his home-based business Taiyo Bread Shop. Taiyo means “sun” in Japanese. 

Just as the sun brings light and warmth, Shane hopes to share that same comforting joy through his handmade bakes.

From what began as a small passion project in June, 2024, to now embarking on a stint at Chef X where he can meet diners, work with a team, and gather real feedback, Taiyo Camp Club has come a long way.

The journey started rather spontaneously, when a few too many ripe bananas led Shane to bake his first loaf of banana bread, from scratch, before sharing it online with friends and fans. With the love and support of so many at his back, Shane opened Taiyo Bread Club.

At his Chef X set-up, Shane has an adorable concept that goes along with the bakes, too — you’ll get to experience a rustic “camping” set-up with a tent, foldable chairs, and even camping-inspired hot bites. 

It’s inspired by simple campfire gatherings with friends and heart-felt conversations!

Bananas for the banana bread

Since Taiyo Bread Shop is best known for its freshly made banana bread, we were excited to see what the hype was about.

HungryGoWhere understands Shane prepares all the banana loaves at Chef X himself.

We started with the Going Bananas (S$30 per loaf, S$4 per slice), which greeted us with a sweet, fragrant aroma and tender chunks of banana. It was moist with just the right amount of sweetness — a comforting classic for even those who don’t usually reach for banana-flavoured bakes.

If you’re a fan of nutty flavours, be sure to get your hands on Nutty Nana (S$33 per loaf, S$4.50 per slice) — it was soft and spongy, with crunchy walnuts encrusted into the top and hidden within the loaf.

We saved our favourite for last — Chocoloco (S$33 per loaf, S$4.50 per slice). Generously stuffed with melt-in-your-mouth dark chocolate chips, it struck a fine balance between its chocolatey richness and banana sweetness. 

We also tried a new Taiyo bake — something created specially for Chef X: The Kohaku focaccia (S$4). The airy focaccia boasted notes of fragrant burnt butter and cinnamon that was rich, and sweet. 

Not just sweets

While Shane’s Taiyo Bread Club is known for its wholesome bakes, the Chef X pop-up sees some new savoury bites on the menu, to go with its camping-inspired decor. 

Inspired by shared campsite meals over a fire, these dishes are simple, yet comforting. There’s the Midnight ramyeon (S$8.50) that’s topped with crunchy popcorn chicken, and served in a metal mess tin — just like how you’d make it if you were out camping.

There’s also the Little Dimples (S$8 for eight pieces), Taiyo’s chilli-oil dumplings that are light and tangy, as well as the Golden drumlets (S$10 for eight pieces), featuring juicy and tender pieces of chicken covered with a mildly peppery batter. 

There are drinks on offer to pair your bites with, too — such as coffees starting from S$4 in both hot and iced options, as well as various options of tea. In particular, we felt that the iced latte (S$5.50) paired really nicely with the fresh banana bakes.

Want to remember your experience at Taiyo Camp Club? You can also grab plush keychains of the brand’s mascot at S$15.90. 

And it’s all for a good cause too: The proceeds go to charities and small businesses such as Care Corner Singapore.

If you’re ever around the Clarke Quay area and need a quick bite, pay Taiyo Camp Club a visit and enjoy a cuppa and wholesome bakes with a friend or two — all in a cosy, camping inspired-space! 

This was a hosted tasting. 

For more new eats, check out the famous Udon Shin at Takashimaya, or Pera Turkish Grill & Mezze at South Beach.