Lau Pa Sat market |
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Opposite : making clay pot |
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chicken rice |
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Hawkers feature regularly on the food bible ’ s Bib Gourmand list |
Together , they house more than 6,000 stalls , many of which have built loyal followings over the years . In fact , it ’ s not unusual to see locals waiting in line for hours just to get a taste of their favorite hawker dishes .
Some stalls even count famous figures among their fans . The late chef and author Anthony Bourdain was partial to a plate of chicken rice from Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice at Maxwell Food Centre , and the Sultan of Brunei is said to request a packet of nasi lemak from Selera Rasa at Adam Road Hawker Centre every time he visits Singapore . And back in 2013 , British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay participated in a street food cook-off against some of Singapore ’ s best hawkers , whipping up his own renditions of chicken rice , chili crab and laksa noodles . ( Needless to say , he lost .)
If this isn ’ t testament enough to the high quality of hawker food , the Michelin Guide has also started shining the spotlight on
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some of the city ’ s best stalls . In 2016 , Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle in Chinatown Food Centre and Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle in Tai Hwa Eating House became the first street food stalls in the world to earn a coveted Michelin star , propelling them to global fame . Hawkers also feature regularly on the food bible ’ s Bib Gourmand list , which recognizes ‘ good quality , good value cooking ’.
However , as an increasing number of first-generation hawkers — many of whom are in their sixties and seventies and have been plying their trade for decades — hang up their aprons for good , there are fears that hawker culture could soon die out . “ These days , the biggest challenge facing hawker culture is the aging population of hawkers . Many younger people are not attracted to the hard physical work of being a hawker ,” says Huang Benjamin . Indeed , the trade can be grueling , typically involving long hours in sweltering kitchens .
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images : getty |
36 // pos t c a rds |