Avid Your Home and Garden readers will be familiar with Babiche Martens. The Auckland-based photographer’s vibrant photo Breakfast at Chin Mee Chin, featured as part of our Year of Art series, captures the bustling energy, colourful details, and nostalgic charm of the iconic Singapore eatery, making viewers almost taste the flavours through her lens.
Below, read our Q&A with Babiche Martens, and purchase a copy of the April 2026 issue of Your Home and Garden to collect your very own Breakfast at Chin Mee Chin art print.
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I was born in Amsterdam, but when I was a baby, my family immigrated to New Zealand by boat, alongside my aunty and uncle and their families. My mother is incredibly creative and nurtured my love of art. At 82 years old, she is still creating artwork today. My photography career spans 25 years. Since graduating with my degree in 2001, I am lucky to say that photography is all I have ever done.
My work appears in the pages of numerous lifestyle, interior (including this one), fashion and women’s magazines, as well as in cookbooks, on restaurant websites and across social media. With two children in tow, my life is very full. I feel incredibly grateful to do something I love every day and call it my job.
What drew you towards photography?
It was the alchemy of photography that first captivated me. I learnt on film and spent many hours lost in the darkroom. I began my creative journey as a painter, then developed a love of printmaking at ASA Art School, before finally cementing my passion for photography during a university gap year while living in Japan. Being a photographer gives me access to worlds I would never, in my wildest dreams, have found myself in, and allows me to meet people I might never otherwise cross paths with.
All the while, I create beautiful images, show the world from a different perspective and have the chance to bring joy to someone’s day through a flattering portrait – sharing a laugh and enjoying relaxed conversation along the way. People don’t generally enjoy having their picture taken – I love making that experience better for them.
What’s the story behind Breakfast at Chin Mee Chin?
Chin Mee Chin restaurant first opened in Singapore in 1925 and serves a traditional Singaporean breakfast: bread spread with their signature kaya jam topped with a square of melting butter. There are also soft-boiled eggs to be eaten with soy sauce, sugee cakes, cream-filled twists and traditional coffee served with coconut cream.
One of the best parts of the experience – aside from getting to eat the food – was that after the photograph was taken, we sat down for a long, lovely chat with one of the owners, Peter Tan. Over coffee, we talked about past and present Singapore, enjoying a truly authentic Singaporean food experience.
Where in the home would the print look best?
This image would work beautifully in a kitchen setting, as it’s food-based – just looking at it makes me hungry. I have a cafe-style image like this in my own kitchen, taken by another photographer, and I love it. That said, this image could work almost anywhere, as long as the colours complement the space.
I can imagine it hanging in an entranceway or even in a bedroom. For me, this image evokes joy – the bright colours, the soft Singaporean light, and, of course, the inviting breakfast experience.
To see more of Babiche Martens’ work, visit babichemartens.com, and purchase a copy of the April 2026 issue of Your Home and Garden to collect your very own Breakfast at Chin Mee Chin art print.
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