SINGAPORE: In a Facebook post on Monday (March 11), food guru KF Seetoh featured Ms Aries Chan, who will close her stalls at Tiong Bahru and One Punggol Hawker Centre, The Coco Rice by the end of the month.
He wrote that Ms Chan could once “visualise ten outlets ahead.” Her road to success hit snags, however. Mr Seetoh claimed that Ms Chan had been told by management in Punggol that because there was another vendor for nasi lemak at the hawker centre, she had to sell nasi kandar instead.
“Not her forte,” Mr Seetoh commented, opining that this was an “anti-competition act in (a) public hawker centre.”
In addition to this, Ms Chan, “was worn down by high operation cost, the cheap-hawker-food entitlement by public at large, and was felled by the abject lack and absence of manpower.”
The situation got so bad that “some months were minus revenue,” Ms Chan reportedly told Mr Seetoh, who added that Ms Chan may “return later for a restart.”
He then warned those considering a career in the Food and Beverage Industry.
“If anyone is looking to start an F&B or hawker stall in Sg… be very careful. I urge you to think twice. There’s no support for your cause and passion, no one represents your problem n concerns.”
The Independent Singapore has contacted One Punggol Hawker Centre regarding Mr Seetoh’s post, but it has declined to comment.
Ms Chan informed the public via social media posts on March 6 that “After three incredible years serving our beloved nasi lemak at Tiong Bahru Hawker, we have made the heartfelt decision to bid farewell to this chapter of our story.”
She thanked those who have patronised her stall and added, “While we may be saying goodbye to our physical presence at Tiong Bahru and One Punggol hawker, rest assured our commitment to delivering exceptional flavours and experiences will remain steadfast.”
Mr Seetoh, who has long been a champion of Singapore’s hawkers, praised Ms Chan, who became well known for her blue pea flower nasi lemak over the past few years.
However, he added, the odds have been stacked against her success, writing, “Your passion, dreams, and vision can merely be dust in the wind if society gives you no support to fly that ambition.” /TISG
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