Page 128 - Our Hawker Stories

In December 2020, Singapore’s hawker culture received “The greatest culture I know in Singapore is food. I’m
international recognition when it was added to UNESCO’s just trying to share who I am through this food – and it’s
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage so exportable.”
of Humanity. This honour reflects how hawker centres
are not just food places – they’re spaces where people So, next time you visit a hawker centre, remember that
gather, share stories, and build community. every dish holds a story of hardship, heritage, and hope.
And if you ever see a cute little chicken rice snack like
Today, there are more than 22 hawker centres across me, don’t forget to say hi!
Singapore. Maxwell Food Centre itself was voted
Singapore’s favourite hawker centre in 2014, 2015, and
2016 in the City Hawker Food Hunt. Awards like these
celebrate the excellence and spirit of our hawkers. “Every dish holds a story of hardship, heritage,
and hope – a flavourful legacy served with
In the name of innovation, many hawkers have taken every bite.”
their craft to the next level. Some have opened their
restaurants, while others received the prestigious
Michelin Bib Gourmand Award – including my very own
stall in 2016! Ashton Kee Zun Cheng
P4B
Modern hawkers, especially the younger generation – Anglo Chinese School (Primary)
what I call the “Gen Z Hawkers” – bring fresh perspectives.
They add creativity to tradition, reinventing familiar
dishes in exciting new ways. That’s how I, Chicky, came
to be – a playful spin on chicken rice, transformed
into onigiri (rice balls) and even ice cream. My latest
makeover? Sakura chicken, Japanese rice, and miso
soup – a delightful fusion of East and Southeast Asian
flavours.

These adaptations reflect a changing food landscape.
Consumers are now more willing to pay a little more for
high-quality, innovative hawker fare. And our dishes,
once confined to hawker stalls, are now served in
restaurants, cafés, and even packaged as snacks!

Before I go, let me show you how hawker culture has
travelled beyond our shores. In places like New York,
Singaporeans are proudly sharing our food traditions
with the world. As one overseas Singaporean shared,

124 Our Hawker Stories