From chef whites to hawker stall

Restaurant chefs turn to hawking, prodded by pandemic pressures

Thoo Chang Wei's ambition was to make a living selling his favourite food of steamed rice rolls, which he now does at Chef Wei HK Cheong Fun in New Upper Changi Road. (From left) Gui Jin Keng and Kek Wan Fong opened Qing Feng Yuan, with dishes such a
Thoo Chang Wei's ambition was to make a living selling his favourite food of steamed rice rolls, which he now does at Chef Wei HK Cheong Fun in New Upper Changi Road. (From left) Gui Jin Keng and Kek Wan Fong opened Qing Feng Yuan, with dishes such as blue cod soup and ngoh hiang, in Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre in June. Wang Jingjun sells dishes such as abalone fried rice at Chef Wang Fried Rice in Beo Crescent. PHOTO: COURTESY OF THOO CHANG WEI ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN ST PHOTO: WONG AH YOKE
Thoo Chang Wei's ambition was to make a living selling his favourite food of steamed rice rolls, which he now does at Chef Wei HK Cheong Fun in New Upper Changi Road. (From left) Gui Jin Keng and Kek Wan Fong opened Qing Feng Yuan, with dishes such a
Thoo Chang Wei's ambition was to make a living selling his favourite food of steamed rice rolls, which he now does at Chef Wei HK Cheong Fun in New Upper Changi Road. (From left) Gui Jin Keng and Kek Wan Fong opened Qing Feng Yuan, with dishes such as blue cod soup and ngoh hiang, in Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre in June. Wang Jingjun sells dishes such as abalone fried rice at Chef Wang Fried Rice in Beo Crescent. PHOTO: COURTESY OF THOO CHANG WEI ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN ST PHOTO: WONG AH YOKE
Thoo Chang Wei's ambition was to make a living selling his favourite food of steamed rice rolls, which he now does at Chef Wei HK Cheong Fun in New Upper Changi Road. (From left) Gui Jin Keng and Kek Wan Fong opened Qing Feng Yuan, with dishes such a
Thoo Chang Wei's ambition was to make a living selling his favourite food of steamed rice rolls, which he now does at Chef Wei HK Cheong Fun in New Upper Changi Road. (From left) Gui Jin Keng and Kek Wan Fong opened Qing Feng Yuan, with dishes such as blue cod soup and ngoh hiang, in Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre in June. Wang Jingjun sells dishes such as abalone fried rice at Chef Wang Fried Rice in Beo Crescent. PHOTO: COURTESY OF THOO CHANG WEI ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN ST PHOTO: WONG AH YOKE
Wong Ah Yoke
Senior Food Correspondent
Updated
Aug 01, 2021, 05:00 AM
Published
Aug 01, 2021, 05:00 AM
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It is not uncommon for restaurant chefs to start their own business. But those who trade their chef whites for a hawker's apron have been few and far between.

Chefs known to have made the switch include former Les Amis sous chef Xavier Neo, who now runs the Hokkien Man Hokkien Mee stall in Toa Payoh.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on August 01, 2021, with the headline From chef whites to hawker stall . Subscribe

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