Hot to go: Deans’ Pancake Breakfast shows a batter way to serve

Dean Tom Coffman (middle) poses with the Office of Education and Dean’s Office, most of whom were eager enthusiasts behind the scrumptious event.

Dean Prof Thomas Coffman (middle) poses with the Office of Education and Dean’s Office, most of whom were eager enthusiasts of the scrumptious event.

Vice-Dean of Education, Associate Professor Shiva Sarraf-Yazdi and Senior Associate Dean, Office of Education, Professor Silke Vogel share a moment before their pancake shift.

SingHealth’s Ms Audrey Lau poses with pancake enthusiasts and station supporters at the start of the feeding frenzy.

Ms Karen Chang snaps a quick shot commemorating her four pancakes with four hungry pancake lovers behind her.

From left to right: Duke-NUS Governing Board members Mr Goh Yew Lin and Ms Marie Elaine Teo, with Dean Tom Coffman, preparing for hungry pancake eaters.

From left to right: Duke-NUS Governing Board chair Mr Goh Yew Lin and member Ms Marie Elaine Teo, with Prof Coffman, preparing for hungry pancake eaters.

Associate Professor Lai Siang Hui takes a selfie with Professor Lo Yew Long and his pancake appreciators.

An aerial view of the pancake stations that saw four rotations of chefs throughout the morning.

Egg station buddies! The Office of Education put together a delicious and nutritious breakfast for the school.

Egg station buddies! Some of the Student Affairs team helping to put together a delicious and nutritious breakfast for the school.

Singapore General Hospital’s newly appointed CEO Associate Professor Tan Kiang Khoon puts on his boxing gloves and gets his game face on.

Singapore General Hospital’s newly appointed CEO Associate Professor Tan Hiang Khoon puts on his boxing gloves and gets his game face on.

Associate Dean of Early Research Career Development, Professor Ooi Eng Eong of Emerging Infectious Diseases, takes a break from flipping batter to pose with his team.

Associate Dean of Early Research Career Development, Professor Ooi Eng Eong from the Emerging Infectious Diseases Programme, takes a break from flipping cakes to pose with his team.

Senior Associate Dean of Medical Education, Professor Scott Compton, fields some spirited requests while in his apron.

The jovial faces of Camp SIMBA raising funds and promoting their good work. The camp supports children whose family members have been diagnosed with cancer.

The jovial faces of the Camp SIMBA team hope to raise funds and promote their good work. The camp supports children whose family members have been diagnosed with cancer.

Project DOVE (short for Duke-NUS Overseas Volunteering Expedition), a student-led overseas medical mission, explaining what they do to interested onlookers.

Members from Project DOVE (short for Duke-NUS Overseas Volunteering Expedition), a student-led overseas medical mission, explain what they do to the visiting pancake enthusiasts.

Dr Suzanne Goh (right) with the delectable chef-standard smoked salmon crostini station, a highlight of every year’s Pancake Day.

The sausage station saw as much love as the pancakes!

Associate Professor Charles Chuah Thuan Heng doing his best Masterchef impression.

Student Affairs’ Mary Ng takes a selfie with some Duke-NUS students in their scrubs, excited to taste some home(school?)-made pancakes.

Ms Karen Chang poses with her team and colleagues, most of whom came to fervently support her pancake endeavours.

Project DOVE’s intrepid explorers show us their cheery faces as they canvas for donations.

Professor Tan Kok Hian shows off how much finesse he uses to flip a pancake into mid-air. Transferable skills into the clinical sector?

Have breakfast with your deanery—for a good cause? What about having them make it for you, even? That’s what the eager crowd did on the morning of 7 February 2025, where members of the Duke-NUS deanery, Governing Board and partner SingHealth flipped pancakes as part of the annual Deans’ Pancakes breakfast, which in addition to the piping hot pancakes, included grilled sausage, a sunny-side-up egg, a fruity treat and a drink. The breakfast sets were sold on a pay-as-you-wish basis, with all proceeds going towards Duke-NUS students’ community service projects—Camp SIMBA and Project DOVE.

Students and staff alike thronged the second-floor Atrium to get a taste of their faculty and deans’ cooking, which included returning chefs such as the ever-popular Senior Vice-Dean for Corporate Services, Ms Karen Chang; Vice-Dean for Education, Associate Professor Shiva Sarraf-Yazdi; and Dean Professor Thomas Coffman, who cherish the camaraderie that this annual tradition builds.

It was invigorating to see, not only the whole school, but the SingHealth leaders—such as SingHealth's Deputy Group Director of Group Communications Ms Audrey Lau—come together to support students’ endeavours. Pancake-eaters were also thrilled to see Governing Board chair Mr Goh Yew Lin and members at the flipping stations.

Of course, nothing goes better with sweet treats than coffee. Coming in clutch with the pick-me-ups, Project DOVE’s Fundraising Coffee Booth perked up everyone’s day with their caffeine and hot chocolate as a perennial crowd favourite.

Highly anticipated, high spirits, and hot off the grill: The Deans’ Pancake was a tremendous success, and provided the 13 storeys of Duke-NUS with an opportunity to mingle with friends from SingHealth, contribute to a good cause, and most importantly—eat to their heart’s content!

All photos in this story are copyrighted to Duke-NUS Medical School.

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Hot to go: Deans’ Pancake Breakfast shows a batter way to serve

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