8 Qualities of the World's First Michelin-Starred Street Food Chef

For 30 years, he worked 100 hours a week and, in the last 8 years, he has been selling chicken noodle for less than US$2 a plate. Today, Mr Chan Hon Meng's small and modest soya sauce chicken noodle stall made dining history as it became

the first street food stall in the world to be awarded a Michelin star. 

From Ipoh Malaysia, Mr Chan came to Singapore to learn how to cook soya sauce chicken from Hong Kong masters in the 1980s. In 2009, he decided to open in a hawker stall in Singapore Chinatown. I believe he has 8 qualities which resulted in him winning the coveted award.

1. Efficient

Behind the hot and stuffy stall, Mr Chan turns himself into an ultrasonic chopping machine churning out plate after plate of savoury soya sauce chicken noodle. The not-very-tall chef customised his workspace to ensure the chopping board and cooking table top are at the optimal height for him. It is his super high efficiency that allows him to sell 150 chicken a day. If we are to do his job, most of us would have dislocated our shoulder or wrist in less than a day.

2. Hardworking

"I see no daylight!" said Mr Chan who goes to work early morning when the sky is still pitch-dark and ends each day well after dinner time. For 5 hours, he prepares the chicken, roasts the pork and cooks the rice before opening for business at around 10am. Once he starts serving his first customer, it is non-stop till last chicken is sold. Describing Mr Chan who works 100 hours a week as a hardworking man is an understatement. 

3. Professional

Most street food vendors wear T-shirt to work given the hot and oily working environment but not Mr Chan who puts on white uniform everyday. He has 6 of these uniforms and one with logo for special occasion. He takes pride in his trade and this is being professional.

4. Friendly

Despite a tiring routine and occasional confusion with customers' orders, he maintains a friendly attitude and breaks into a smile every now and then.  

5. Positive

It would take the friendly chef a full day of earnings to afford a meal at any Robuchon 3-star restaurants but Mr Chan said he is happy and contented with his current situation. He would like to dine at a Robuchon restaurant one day but what really catches his fancy is Hong Kong's Yung Kee Restaurant famous for its roast goose. 

6. Passionate

Talked about his food, Mr Chan eyes lit up. "My chickens are from Malaysia and are leaner compared to chickens from colder countries. If I use chicken from other countries, the taste will be not be as good.". He also shared with me his recipe which I promised not to reveal in this article. 

7. Integrity

Asked him why he sells his food so cheap, he said that is a fair price for the location of the hawker centre where he operates. He hesitates to take advantage of his recent fame to charge more. Maximising short-term profit is not his top agenda but treating customers well is. He puts many people, including myself, in the banking industry to shame.

8. Humility

Media and customers congratulated him on award but Mr Chan didn't talk about how good his food is. Instead, he expressed his appreciation for the recognition and publicity that Michelin has given him. To him, this award is not just for him but for the hawkers in Singapore. I am not sure if he had heard of the Michelin Guide before the award announcement but today, he is in the Guide!  

(Mr Chan being squeezed between the armpit of Mr Michael Ellis, International Director of Michelin Guides, and French celebrity chef Mr Joël Robuchon)

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Eric Sim writes about career and life skills.

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Photo credits: Yong Teck Lim for most photos, Getty Image/R Raman for ceremony photo, ST/Seah Kwang Peng for last photo