After man hosts meal at void deck, Singaporeans praise him for ‘restoring kampung spirit’

SINGAPORE: When a local Reddit user shared how they organised a community event around a simple soup meal, others on the platform praised them for “restoring the kampong spirit” of Singapore.

In a post on Sunday (May 31), u/bangsphoto wrote about a recent event they called Kampong Soup Kitchen, where people who signed up would get served free soup, and if there was more soup, people who passed by were welcome to have some as well.

“This came partly from reading and thinking about how many people feel socially isolated today, even though we technically have so many ways to connect. Initially, I wanted to use private venues for community events, but rental costs made it hard to keep sustainable,” the post author wrote, adding that a Telegram user said they had organized a potluck meal at their void deck, and they could get permission from their town council to do the same.

The town council said yes, after the post author explained it would be a free community food event for a maximum of 50 people, and no money would be exchanged.

They ended up spending S$89.38 in all, including S$50 for rent, electricity, and water, and served two kinds of soup: a clear chicken soup with crêpes and vegetables, and a spiced pumpkin and carrot soup with red lentils and coconut milk, which they spent more than 20 hours cooking.

U/bangsphoto thanked everyone who volunteered to help out, and went as far as sharing the recipes here, where they also shared tips for anyone who wants to do the same.

“What surprised me most was not just that people came down for soup, but that neighbours and strangers naturally started chatting with one another. It made me realise that sometimes people are open to community, but there just needs to be a simple excuse for everyone to gather,” they wrote, adding that they hope to do more such events in the future.

Their void deck also got a shoutout as a “simple, affordable space for neighbours and strangers to meet.”

The post has since gotten over 6,000 responses, with many Reddit users thanking the post author for sharing their idea. 

“Love this concept! Bringing back the Kampong Spirit,” one wrote. 

“Looks like a great event! thanks for putting in the time, effort, and money to do this for your community,” wrote another.

A Reddit user who had attended the event also dropped a comment, writing, “Thank you! Was one of the participants at the event and absolutely enjoyed it! To anyone who hasn’t been, please don’t be shy and come! Everyone was super warm and sweet, and the experience was really great 🙂 Hope to see y’all again!” /TISG

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