What were you doing before launching Dignity Kitchen?
I started my career as a shipyard worker in Singapore. I went to the UK to study and lived there for 12 years. I obtained a degree in engineering and an MSc in computer-integrated manufacturing.
Then I came back to Singapore in 1994 and worked for [what is now] PricewaterhouseCoopers. Later, I started my own management consultancy to develop businesses in China and India. I ran this business until 2006.
What inspired you to launch Dignity Kitchen in Singapore in 2010?
In Singapore, you don't see beggars, homeless people or disabled people on the streets or in shopping malls. I realised there is another side of Singapore that people don't want to know about. I started something called Dignity Day. I spent one day a month doing something good. I started by hiring a bus and taking the homeless and elderly out for a day of shopping. My parents always said to me: "Nought to 25 years is for learning, 25 to 50 years is for earning and after 50 years is for giving back."
In 2006, I built a hawker training centre for those that are disabled or disadvantaged. In two years, I developed a curriculum to train street food operators. The curriculum covers how to operate, manage and cook food in a hawker stall. The Singapore government approved the concept right away because nobody had ever done it before. People open culinary schools all the time, but no one did this for hawkers. Dignity Kitchen is like a Hong Kong-cooked food centre but all the stalls are manned by differently-abled people. It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor: you just come to enjoy the food.
What is Dignity Kitchen's mission?
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Louder Than You Think
It might not shout about itself, but among the world’s most influential people, Brunello Cucinelli is everywhere. Its co‑chairman and co‑creative director Carolina Cucinelli shares why the Italian brand’s high‑end ubiquity is built on its rock‑solid values
A New Era
La Prairie unveils the first product from its new collection, the Life Matrix Haute Rejuvenation Cream, an innovative creation that represents a new chapter in luxury skincare for those seeking to maintain healthy skin
Revolutionising Healthcare
Artificial intelligence is the future of healthcare, according to Asia Pacific Medical Technology Association CEO Harjit Gill. Ahead of its Asia Pacific MedTech Forum 2024, she outlines how a digitally driven healthcare system can improve access and outcomes for all
REBIRTH RENEWAL REWARD
Renowned artist Nari Ward gives Tatler a peek into his Harlem studio as he prepares for his solo exhibition in Seoul
Blurring Lines, Breaking Boundaries
Cartier’s creative director of jewellery and watches Marie-Laure Cérède on the maison’s commitment to creating statement-making timepieces for discerning luxury consumers
Tan Yin Ling
The co‑founder of Cloop on how her social enterprise is closing the loop on Singapore’s fashion waste
THE World IS YOUR Oyster
Tatler gets a taste of the luxe nomadic life aboard the world’s most exclusive residential ship as it sails from South Korea to Japan
HAUTE HOTELS
Find out where designers, models and fashionistas stay during Fashion Week
RAISING THE STEAKS
Hanwoo, Korea’s native beef, is celebrated not only for its flavourful meat but also its rich history and deep cultural significance. We explore the qualities and traditions that make Hanwoo a national treasure—and why the rest of the world needs to know about it
The Fashion Centennial
In celebration of its 100th anniversary, Loro Piana looks back on its legacy of exceptional fabrics, textile innovation and savoir faire in its fall‑winter 2024‑2025 women’s and men’s collections