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Best things under S$10: Wok Stars winner Ng Kheng Siang

SINGAPORE — After what could be described as an entertaining insight into the possible future of Singapore’s hawker fare, 27-year-old Ng Kheng Siang was crowned the winner of MediaCorp TV Channel 5’s Wok Stars in the finale aired last night.

SINGAPORE — After what could be described as an entertaining insight into the possible future of Singapore’s hawker fare, 27-year-old Ng Kheng Siang was crowned the winner of MediaCorp TV Channel 5’s Wok Stars in the finale aired last night.

“It was almost an unreal experience,” said the NUS grad who had struggled to find his footing in the food service business.

He worked part-time at a handful of casual restaurants while he was studying, and then as a Food Technology Executive at Select Group Limited for a year. Prior to Wok Stars, he was unemployed and helping out at PS Bakery & Bistro (owned and run by his girlfriend’s parents) for a few months.

“I came into the competition with setbacks and discouragement, but somehow I managed to fight all the way through to win,” he said.

Kheng Siang brought with him a knack for innovation, matched by a vested interest in preserving local flavours. “I feel that innovation is critical in the context of fast-paced Singapore. However, if innovation forgets about the comforts of our traditional Singapore foods and flavours, I don’t think that it will go very far,” he explained.

That said, the cuisine served at his first stall, OMGrill at Happy Hawkers in Jurong (Block 132 Jurong Gateway Road #01-271, Stall 9) won’t be as imaginative as the dish that helped him win the competition, the Curry Crepe Bomb.

“I’m not selling it at my stall,” he laughed. Instead, Kheng Siang has decided to go with what he described as a fusion grill. “Dishes are the traditional dishes you’d find at Western food stalls, such as chicken wings, half-chicken and fish fillet. But the flavours are uniquely Asian, albeit sans pork, lard or alcohol.”

His recommended must-tries: Grilled half chicken (Double Pepper Flavour), grilled chicken wing (Terrific Teriyaki Flavour) with homemade chilli sauce and the conveniently named Original Chicken Chop. “I do not want to just open a stall for a year. I’m looking at this as a career. I hope to be able to open multiple outlets all around our heartlands in the near future and the year rent-free (which he won on top of a cash prize of S$30,000) will definitely help greatly.”

 

BREAKFAST: Freshly-fried you tiao (80 cents), kopi (90 cents) and fried carrot cake (S$2.50) from West Coast market food centre. The carrot cake is fried until there are crispy bits. And you can really taste the he bi (dried shrimp) and the chye poh (preserved radish) in the carrot cake. The carrot cake must be from the stall facing the road near the Muslim food stalls.

 

LUNCH: Hong Kong soya sauce chicken with tau gay (bean sprouts) and garlic bits. Why? The super smooth soft chicken meat, springy and slightly al dente noodles (S$5, if I’m not wrong) from Hong Kong Soy Sauce Chicken at Smith Street Food Centre (#02-127).

 

DINNER: Signature chicken chop with mash potato set meal (S$9.90 with soup and drink) from PS Bakery & Bistro (Block 82, Macpherson Lane #01-27). The crispy chicken chop (is served) with homemade creamy mash potato — what’s not to like? Value for money as well; you can hardly find a set meal in a bistro setting (air-conditioned) for less than S$10. And there’s no GST or service charge! Don Mendoza

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