( CNN ) -- After several stints in prison and rehab for heroin addiction , Benny Se Teo was a reformed character , but society did n't want to know . After finding it nearly impossible to get a job he decided to forge his own future . Now , over 20 years since he kicked his drug-habit , the Singaporean is the successful owner of a chain of restaurants called Eighteen Chefs . While the restaurants focus on providing quality food , from the beginning Teo was determined that his business venture would also concentrate on helping those marginalized by society . `` I realized that in society there is this gap . Where once you have a criminal record you are unable to live a normal life , you are unable to integrate back to society , '' he says . `` We are able to provide training and give them their self-respect which they lost many , many years ago . '' Before setting up Eighteen Chefs , Teo trained at Fifteen , Jamie Oliver 's London restaurant . He then went on to run a 200-seater Chinese restaurant , with 80 % of the staff having a criminal record . However , Teo found that the high number of ex-offenders was too difficult to manage . His first Eighteen Chefs establishment started off with a smaller proportion , 35 % in 2012 , and now 50 % of his employees are troubled young people and people with criminal records . There have been a number of success stories among staff , one of Teo 's employees began as a server and is now a regional manager at an international restaurant earning more than $ 6,000 a month . Teo does not even mind if his employees steal recipes and ideas from him to start up their own small businesses , he 's just happy they are n't going back to their old ways . While his new life is free of his old habits and addictions , his restaurants retain an allusion to his former ways : the number 18 refers to a well-known Singaporean street gang . But rather than advocate his breaking bad past , he would rather young people tempted by a thug life would pick up a pan and chopping knife rather than a switchblade .
When Benny - Teo was released from prison it was impossible to find a job . So he decided to start his own chain of restaurants , Eighteen chefs . Now he gives ex - offenders the opportunity he never had by helping them .