12 LUMEN | FEATURE
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Unsung Heroes
By Glenn Chua
We interact with them on a daily basis , calling them “ aunties ” and “ uncles ”. The canteen stall operators are SJI ’ s unsung heroes , diligently feeding Josephians without complaint . But how much do we really know about them , beyond the food that they serve ?
Drinks stall
It may appear that the drinks store is run by a husband-and-wife duo , but make no mistake , it is the wife Mdm Tan Poh Cheng that calls the shots . “ She ’ s the big boss here ,” says husband Mr Ng Gin Hoo in Mandarin , laughing .
The husband-and-wife team have an interesting work dynamic . As Mdm Tan puts it , the key is teamwork . It ’ s important that the two of them help each other , as both canteen stall operators and as spouses . “ It ’ s a home business ,” Mrs Tan says in Mandarin . “ I feel comfortable being my own boss alongside my husband .”
Before SJI , Mdm Tan owned a similar business selling drinks at Temasek Polytechnic . She says that working in SJI , where the majority are boys , is a unique experience . The drawback ? “ Some students just throw money on the counter .” She takes it all in her stride though , adding that while there are some bad apples in the bunch , SJI students are generally polite and fun to interact with .
Noodles stall
The noodles stall is run by Mr Sam Lee . Mr Lee once worked at a hawker centre selling noodles , before quitting his job to work as a driver . However , he soon left his job behind the wheel to re-enter the food industry .
Reliving his dream , he admits though , that operating a canteen stall is a gruelling task . He comes to school at around 5 or 6 am every day , and spends the next one to two hours preparing his signature laksa and fish ball noodles .
Ever the optimist , Mr Lee does not let the laborious work discourage him as he is quick to add , “ I like this job because it ’ s flexible and gives me opportunities .”
Japanese stall
The Japanese food stall is owned by Mdm Sew Ching Yap . She has been selling Japanese food for around two years now and is assisted by Mr Jon Chew .
Two years ago , Mdm Sew left IT sales to run