Savouring the Street Food Culture of Singapore
Singapore is a melting pot of flavours and cultures, all crammed into a small island nation. And there is no better way to discover the city than to eat your way through it. Singapore photographer Aaron Wong was in the Top 5 finalists of Masterchef Singapore 2018, and is currently the Tiger Beer Global Street Food Ambassador. As the founder of Hawkers & Co., Aaron whips up a storm in the kitchen, and also knows exactly where to venture for an unforgettable dish.
There is nothing epic about this article – no orgasmic description of how mind-blowing the food is. You will not find these stalls in any fancy Michelin guide or online chatter. But there is something undeniably superior about these places that defy common logic: simple, no-nonsense delights without unnecessary fanfare.
This is the stuff you have eaten all your life; the things that you have stopped taking note of. This is familiarity. This is comfort.
These are our local hawkers – folks who wake up in the wee hours of the morning just so you can have your breakfast fix before starting your day. That same uncle and aunty who reserve a smile for you each lunch break. The constants in your daily life that you don’t even notice.
These hawkers have no egos, and do not consider themselves “chefs”, yet they cook huge amounts of food throughout the day in a small, sweltering kitchen.
There is no sous-chef, no front-of-house, no service staff… but there are also no complaints.
And all of the above is done just so they can sell you a plate of food at a low cost.
They are the true heroes of our culinary landscape, if you ask me.