With rising costs, stall operators and critics urge against onerous rules on food prices if Singapore wishes to sustain its hawker culture
Safi Sharif, 35, is among the few young Singaporeans who have entered the hawker trade out of a genuine passion for cooking. But he is feeling the strain – physically from 14-hour days that begin at 6.30am, and financially from the pressure to keep prices low despite rising costs.
Safi cooks at an eatery at Project Penyek at Senja Hawker Centre in the city state’s western region. He told This Week in Asia that stalls there were expected to offer a budget meal option – in his case, a fried chicken wing with rice and greens for S$3 (US$2.30) – which barely covered the cost of ingredients.
Still, he continues to offer it for the schoolchildren who frequent his stall. “Without fail, I see the same faces every day, and they order the same thing. Sometimes I sell out, and when I see their faces, I feel bad because I know that’s all they can afford. They’re just kids,” he said.
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