OUR HISTORY
2002
The machine is completed and Chronos begins work on the ice cream. Because of the high humidity in Singapore however, large ice crystals form too quickly and he finds that he can’t produce the quality he desires.
late
2004
Chronos is about to give up on the idea when he opens up to Eunice about it, and the concept for Tom’s Palette truly begins to take shape. Together, they research books and internet resources, but their experiments yield unsatisfactory results.
Their friend Chef Teo teaches them how to make vanilla and chocolate ice cream, and they successfully make their first batch of ice cream together.
2005
Tom’s Palette opens at Shaw Tower. Eunice works in the kitchen to pasteurise and make everything by hand, while Chronos continues his full time job and works tirelessly to support the shop after work.
The shop struggles to stay afloat, making just $30 a day. Customers leave notes with words of encouragement for them, which they pin up and draw motivation from.
2006
A student from Nanyang Technological University tries the ice cream and leaves impressed and fascinated. He spread awareness around his school, and the team manages to secure tie-ups for newsletter publications and promotions in the school.
2007
The shop receives a call from a member of the press about their Salted Caramel Cheesecake ice cream. An interview is conducted the very next day, and the shop starts to build a steady stream of customers from the subsequent media attention.
Tom’s Palette gets it’s very first automated Pasteuriser from Carpigiani. After 14 hours of trial and error and 120 litres of wasted mix, they successfully produce the first few tubs of ice cream.
2011
Inspired by Liu Sha Bao in Hong Kong, the team creates a Salted Egg ice cream – a staple flavour that is still around today.
The shop’s longest-serving staff, Qinwei, joins the team as a part timer ice cream scooper. She works while pursuing her degree in Mathematics at National University of Singapore.
2013
Tom’s Palette launches two savoury ice cream flavours: White Chocolate Nori and Parmesan Cheese & Cream Crackers.
2018
The team launches its Chee Cheong Fan ice cream in collaboration with Kwong Woh Hing Sauce Factory. The creation goes viral on social media, garnering a reach of over 200,000 views on Facebook alone.
2020
Shaw Tower closed on 1 July 2020, and the gelateria moved to its new address: 51 Middle Road!
Tom’s Palette was founded in 2005 by husband and wife team Chronos and Eunice as an avenue to express their love for food and creativity. The original concept for Tom’s Palette is quite unlike what it is today, and it was first conceptualised as a cold plate ice cream parlour. Here is our story.
While pursuing his degree in Mechanical Engineering at The University of Queensland in Australia, Chronos begins toying with the idea of starting a shop. He returns to Singapore the same year and pursues a full-time job creating compressors. On his days off, he works on designing a cold plate machine from scratch.
early
2004