Page 132 - Our Hawker Stories

Beyond the Xiao Long Baos

Hi everyone, my name is Allyssa, and I’m from Red
Swastika School. Today, I’d like to bring you on a journey
through my favourite hawker centre — one that holds
many delicious memories and heartwarming stories.
As I made my way through the familiar aisles of food
stalls, I was excited to visit my favourite stall. Behind the
counter was Auntie, busy as always. I approached her
with curiosity, hoping to learn more about her life as a
hawker.

I asked, “Auntie, why did you decide to become a
hawker?”
She smiled warmly and replied in Mandarin, “Being a
hawker can be happy at times. Some customers are very
kind, and that makes my job joyful. Like you, little girl —
auntie really likes you because you often come by and
even introduce your friends. That brings me happiness.” it’s fresh, hot, and looks good.”

Her words touched me. I then asked, “What are some of COVID-19 was one of the toughest periods for her
the challenges you face as a hawker?” business. “The market changed. Business dropped.
Auntie’s expression grew serious. “The hours are long. But with the government support, we managed to pull
through.”
I don’t have holidays. I wake up at 5 am and work until
9 pm. I only reach home at around 10 pm at night. Yet despite the challenges, the joy of serving generations
That’s my daily life.” She shared that she has faced of customers remains the most fulfilling part of her job.
unpleasant customers too — those who were impatient “Some customers have been with us since they were
or demanding. “But I let it go. The customer is always young. Now they come with their spouses and children.
right.” That brings a deep sense of satisfaction.”
I learnt that Auntie isn’t doing this alone. Her niece helps Through this experience, I have come to appreciate our
her every day during the school holidays. “It’s tough hawkers even more. They are not just preparing food
work,” she said, “but when customers say the food is — they’re preserving our culture, working long hours
delicious, it makes me happy.” to bring us comfort on a plate. Now, when I look at my

I was curious to know more about Auntie’s story. “How xiao long bao, I no longer see just three baos. I see hours
of hard work, years of resilience, and a heart full of
did your hawker journey begin?” dedication.
She explained, “My husband started this dim sum
stall. He used to be a chef in a restaurant, and I was a “Every dish has a story, and every stall is part
hairdresser. When he got retrenched during the financial
crisis, we decided to open this stall together. It wasn’t of Singapore’s living heritage.”
easy, but we gave it a try.”
Lee Le Xuan Allyssa
Over the past 29 years, Auntie has learned many things. P5 Integrity
“Communication is very important,” she said. “And also Red Swastika School
how to make and sell dim sum properly — making sure

128 Our Hawker Stories