Hawker Chan still eats soy sauce chicken daily, commutes by bicycle despite fame and condo upgrade

After winning a Michelin star and getting roped in to expand his humble hawker stall into a chain of restaurants in Singapore and overseas, life has certainly improved for Chan Hon Meng.

But perhaps not as drastically as one might think.

Hon Meng, 58, is probably better known as Hawker Chan, or the man behind Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, which earned its first Michelin star in 2016. 

His stall hit the headlines for offering the cheapest Michelin-starred meal, at just $2.50.

Since then, Hon Meng has partnered with local homegrown F&B company Hersing Culinary to take his food international with the Hawker Chan chain of restaurants. Besides expanding locally, Hersing Culinary have taken the concept to countries such as China, Dubai and Kazakhstan.

And yes, Hon Meng now lives in a three-bedroom condominium in Tiong Bahru instead of a three-room HDB flat, but in terms of his lifestyle, he claims not much has changed.

In an interview with Shin Min Daily News, he revealed that he still eats his soya sauce chicken with noodles or rice for almost every meal, and his preferred mode of transport is his bicycle.

Reminiscing on his hawker life, Hon Meng recounted how he used to work long hours and life was tough.

"I didn't know anything about management. If it weren't for Hersing Culinary's help, I'd still be stuck upstairs working endlessly in my stall," he said.

According to Shin Min, Hon Meng is believed to hold a 10 per cent stake in his partnership with Hersing, with the company in charge of business-related matters while he is responsible for food quality.

Hon Meng shared that during discussions on their business partnership, he'd only expressed his wish to provide better living conditions for his wife and daughter. That was how owning a piece of real estate became factored in to his negotiations, Shin Min reported. 

When interviewed by the Chinese daily, Hersing Culinary's chief executive Angel Chong revealed that Hon Meng had never gotten a bonus from the company. 

Hence, the Highline Residences condominium unit where he and his family reside is his "bonus", she shared. It is also the first time that the company has given a piece of property to a business partner.

Hon Meng later explained that the true meaning of a life change isn't about how much money he has, but how he's able to spend more time with his family without worry, and also able to focus on improving the food. 

'Just an ordinary hawker' 

Hon Meng's Smith Street hawker stall was stripped of its sole Michelin star in 2021 and has yet to be recovered, but he told Shin Min that he has since gotten over the disappointment. 

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Hawker Chan's restaurant outlet at Smith Street, however, is still among the 2023 list of Michelin Bib Gourmand winners.

Said Hon Meng: "I'm just an ordinary hawker and what I want to do every day is to deliver delicious food to everyone. The Michelin award gave me great encouragement and fame, but with the star gone, it doesn't mean that the food is bad."

He told Shin Min that when his stall was first awarded the coveted star, he was happy but also afraid that he couldn't live up to expectations.

Hon Meng shared that everyone who ventures into F&B will hope that people enjoy their food, and this is something that gives him far greater joy.

ALSO READ: 40% price hike for Hawker Chan's roast pork rice shocks regular customer

candicecai@asiaone.com

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