Cooking With Passion
Teenage Magazine|March 2017

A standalone in the sea of prawn noodles, lor mee and fish soup stalls, Wonderfull Nasi Lemak is Old Airport Road Food Centre’s latest arrival. We speak to Lois Er and find out what it’s really like setting up shop in the hawker scene.

Cooking With Passion

Amid the crowded tables and long queues at the Old Airport Road Food Centre, Lois can be found cheerfully serving hungry patrons delicious plates of Wonderfull Nasi Lemak, not a smile out of place despite having started work before the crack of dawn. The 26-year-old is amongst the new stampede of young, driven entrepreneurs – or hawkerpreneurs – who are set on reviving the local hawker scene.

Ditching a cushy office gig to work the stove in the sweltering heat probably isn’t the most glamourous career option, but we couldn’t be more proud of her for daring to take that unconventional leap of faith. Sitting down with the young hawker, Lois shares her experiences, challenges and lessons learned while navigating the local F&B scene.

What spurred your decision to go into the hawker business?

“My family has always enjoyed food, and my dad likes to cook – one of his dreams was to have his own F&B business. The opportunity came last year when I left my previous job and there happened to be an opening at the hawker centre near our house, so we decided to try bidding for it.”

How was it like in the beginning?

“[Unlike other hawkers], our recipe wasn’t passed down to us. But we started using recipes online, from watching TV and even through trying out other nasi lemak. It was really a step-by-step process that involved a lot of experimentation. We learned about temperature, how different brands of coconut milk, salt or rice will affect the taste… We’ve only just finalised our chilli recipe. We’re always looking to improve.”

What were some misconceptions you had?

Denne historien er fra March 2017-utgaven av Teenage Magazine.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra March 2017-utgaven av Teenage Magazine.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA TEENAGE MAGAZINESe alt
7 Homegrown Acts That Are Making The Music Scene Move To The Beat Of Their Drums
Teenage Magazine

7 Homegrown Acts That Are Making The Music Scene Move To The Beat Of Their Drums

These seven homegrown acts are making the music scene move to the beat of their drums.

time-read
3 mins  |
Teenage Chapters 2019
All Grown Up
Teenage Magazine

All Grown Up

It seems like just yesterday when we saw the likes of Miley Cyrus, brie larson and more on the small screen, but these teen stars have since blossomed into their own.

time-read
3 mins  |
Teenage Chapters 2019
Unmasking Jasmine Sokko, The Face Behind Edm's Newest Sensation
Teenage Magazine

Unmasking Jasmine Sokko, The Face Behind Edm's Newest Sensation

How did an enigmatic pop star who never shows her face, become the new face of electronic music in our little red dot? It’s obvious: she lets her music do the talking.

time-read
7 mins  |
Teenage Chapters 2019
Young Trailblazers Who Are Putting SG On The World Map
Teenage Magazine

Young Trailblazers Who Are Putting SG On The World Map

What does a filmmaker, a designer and a motion graphics artist have in common? Besides their artistic talents, these young trailblazers are putting singapore on the world map.

time-read
5 mins  |
Teenage Chapters 2019
Who Run The World? Girls!
Teenage Magazine

Who Run The World? Girls!

Move over, boys’ club. These new-gen queens are ready to claim their it girl crowns.

time-read
4 mins  |
Teenage Chapters 2019
Living The Hallyu Dream
Teenage Magazine

Living The Hallyu Dream

The road to fame is never an easy one, especially in the cutthroat world of k-pop. We speak to four young singaporean hopefuls who took a shot at stardom and are here to tell the tale.

time-read
7 mins  |
Teenage Chapters 2019
Something Old, Something New
Teenage Magazine

Something Old, Something New

Translating Classic Literature to the Silver Screen Is No Small Undertaking, but Here’s a List of Modern Adaptations That Their Original Authors Would Approve.

time-read
3 mins  |
October 2016
Tech Throwback
Teenage Magazine

Tech Throwback

We rounded up a series of retro-chic gear to satisfy your vintage geek obsession.

time-read
2 mins  |
October 2016
The Year Of Hartono
Teenage Magazine

The Year Of Hartono

Started from the Barney, now he’s at the top. Don’t let Nathan Hartono’s whirlwind success fool you – behind his well-deserved spot in the limelight lies more than a decade spent chasing his dream.

time-read
10+ mins  |
January 2017
Game On
Teenage Magazine

Game On

Rising from the Ashes after a three-year Hiatus, Irish rockers two door cinema club are back on track and stronger than ever with a brand new record, Gameshow.

time-read
1 min  |
January 2017