Page 29 - Our Hawker Stories

I went to Sengkang Square Hawker Centre with my
mother and helper, and I saw many stalls around me.
They offered a variety of interesting dishes like nasi
lemak, laksa, satay, fried prawn noodles, and more. I
decided to go for the roasted chicken rice because it is
my favourite. It was very tender, chewy, savoury, and
delicious.

I politely asked the hawkers at the chicken rice stall if I
could interview them, and surprisingly, they said yes. I
had expected them to say no, as most hawkers do not
like to be disturbed. However, the hawkers I interviewed
were friendly and answered my questions willingly.

Some hawkers shared that they started hawking to earn
a living. Many of them have a long history in the trade,
with stalls passed down from generation to generation. their food and the legacy they are preserving give them
Hawkers wake up very early in the morning to prepare a sense of purpose and validation.
their food and open their stalls. Another challenge they
face is having sufficient staffing. Finding and retaining They also take pride in the process of cooking. Many
staff is a significant struggle, and many hawkers find it hawkers find joy in preparing delicious food and in seeing
challenging to attract young people to such demanding their customers enjoy the dishes they have worked hard
work. to make.

The rising cost of ingredients is another issue. Prices Overall, hawker culture is truly amazing.
have been steadily increasing, making it harder to keep
food affordable. Rent and utilities, especially in privately
owned coffee shops, can also be significantly higher
than in government-managed hawker centres, further “Even with all the challenges, hawkers still
increasing operating costs. wake up early just to make us smile with their

Despite these challenges, hawkers find joy and pride in food — that’s what makes hawker culture so
what they do. Many said their favourite part of the job special.”
is the community atmosphere and the food they cook.
Positive comments and recognition about the quality of Jillian Agaran Prudencio
P5.5
North Spring Primary School

Our Hawker Stories 25