Page 123 - Our Hawker Stories

Husband and wife, Mr Kek and Mdm Yap, run the stall
together. They own a hawker stall called Meet Paul at
Tanjong Pagar Market and Food Centre. They are also
my aunt and uncle. This is a day in the life of a hawker.

At around 4 in the morning, Mr Kek wakes up to prepare
himself for the day. He is the chef while Mdm Yap takes
the order and collects the cash. Mr Kek opens the stall
to ensure that everything that needs to be prepared is
done.

Once they are both at the stall, they prepare the
ingredients for the day. They prepare the salmon rice,
chicken chop, grilled halibut, fries, onion rings, and
more. All their food has to be ready by 10.30 am to
tackle the central business district (CBD) and residential
crowd. The crowd comes from approximately 11 am to
2 pm. They usually handle walk-in and online pre-order
customers. They always greet people with a big smile. “Watching my aunt and uncle run their
The food is generally sold out by 2 pm, and they close
the shop for the day. hawker stall made me realise — behind every
tasty dish is a story of hard work, family, and
After closing, they wash the equipment and have a quick love for our heritage.”
lunch. They also prepare the cold salad for the next day.
The day ends at around 5 pm.
Lee Rui Xi Desyre
The food is delicious, and the quality is always consistent. P5.2
The Straits Times published them as one of the hidden North Spring Primary School
gems in Southern Singapore in 2022. Their food provides
a healthier choice for consumers, with mixed brown rice
instead of French fries. The salmon rice is always cooked
to perfection and is one of my favourites.

Our Hawker Stories 119
Our Hawk er St ories 119