Bored flight attendant quits job to start a food stall. Now, he has 31 outlets and is in Michelin Guide
Trading in-flight coffee for spicy sambal, ex-flight attendant Noorman Ahmad followed his passion into the kitchen. Inspired by his roots and his wife's Indonesian recipe, he opened Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang. Despite humble beginnings and long days, his dedication earned him a spot in the Michelin Guide—turning one hawker stall into a nationwide culinary sensation.
Mohammed Noorman Bin Mubarak Ahmad, a former Singapore Airlines flight steward, left his high-paying job to chase a culinary dream. He launched a hawker stall featuring his wife's fiery ayam taliwang recipe. (Images: LinkedIn/ Noorman Mubarak) There was a time when Noorman's days revolved around aisle service and in-flight announcements. For seven years, he donned the crisp uniform of Singapore Airlines, traversing continents with ease, earning a handsome paycheck of SG$5,000 a month, and soaking in the allure of the skies. But inside, he felt a growing emptiness.
'The job was too easy,' he admitted in a report by Business Insider . 'Just asking, 'Do you want coffee or tea?' I didn't need to have done a degree for it.'
That quiet dissatisfaction led him to quit in 2011. He took up a maintenance role in the oil and gas industry, eventually rising to a managerial post. Yet even that didn't satisfy the urge simmering beneath the surface—to return to his roots in food. Cooking wasn't new to Noorman. As a child, he helped run his father's hawker stall selling Malay dishes. But this time, it was personal. When Yishun Park Hawker Centre opened near his home in 2017, he decided to take a leap of faith. Along with a friend, he invested SG$40,000 of their savings and launched Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang —a bold twist on the traditional Malay dish, featuring his wife's fiery Indonesian ayam taliwang. Mornings began at 2:45 a.m., followed by prep, a full-time job, and late-night cooking. For months, the returns were modest, and exhaustion loomed large. 'The thought of working almost 18 hours a day, every day, for the next two to three years—that was the most challenging,' he confessed.
But he kept going.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought yet another storm. Like many small businesses, his stall faced existential threats during Singapore's lockdown. But Noorman remained undeterred. His 2020 LinkedIn post became a rallying cry: 'See the opportunities in every problem… make that step.'
In 2021, his food was quietly listed in the Michelin Guide as a Michelin Plate—recognition for good food. 'Never in my dreams have I ever thought The Michelin Guide would even think of eating our food,' he wrote, humbled. That quiet mention became a turning point.
Today, Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang isn't just a humble hawker stall—it's a 31-outlet success story, with daily sales soaring up to SG$4,000 per stall. From neighborhood centers to Marina Bay Sands, Noorman's creation has become a local icon. And recently, after four years of being featured, he finally received the official Michelin letter and decal. 'It still gives me chills,' he posted recently. 'We are in the red book!' Noorman's story is more than a tale of business growth. It's a reminder that fulfillment rarely arrives on a silver tray—it must be cooked slowly, seasoned with sacrifice, and served with resilience. In his own words: 'It is always Day One for me. The real work always starts today.'
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