'I can peel 3 to 5 eggs in a minute': 12-year-old boy helps out at grandma's porridge stall in Holland Drive Food Centre , Singapore News

AsiaOne

6 days ago

Chong Meng Yew would love to spend his afternoons playing football or badminton with his friends.
But since last year, the 12-year-old Real Madrid fan usually spends his free time at Congee House in Holland Drive Market and Food Centre, helping his 75-year-old grandma at her porridge stall.
When AsiaOne visited them on Monday (May 26), the Primary 6 student from Keng Cheng School was taking orders, cashiering and packing food for customers, while his grandma cooked porridge.
Decked out in a colourful set of shirt and shorts, Meng Yew carried himself with a calmness and poise not generally seen among 12-year-olds.
While Meng Yew usually helps out on holidays and weekends, he was able to come today because there were no lessons on parent teacher meeting day.
Meng Yew's grandma, who wanted to be known as Setoh, said her declining health makes it difficult for her to run the stall alone, especially when her day begins at 2am and ends at 4pm.
She added that with both of his parents at work, there was no one at home to take care of her grandson, who arrives around 8am.
"Someone must watch over him or he will be naughty," she joked.
"My dad asked me to come here and get experience for a job next time," Meng Yew shared.
When asked how he was balancing his PSLE preparations with this side hustle, Meng Yew shrugged and said: "It's normal."
However, he added it was quite hot working in the hawker stall and he had no time to himself.
Thankfully, Meng Yew said: "Sometimes my grandma lets me rest and buys my favourite Pokka green tea." Online shout-out from Minister Chan Chun Sing
On Saturday (May 24), Meng Yew caught Minister Chan Chun Sing's eye when the latter was visiting the food market.
He then appeared in the Minister's Facebook post on Sunday (May 25), where he was seen skillfully peeling century eggs.
"He's full of heart for his grandma. And he's got serious skills too," the newly-appointed Defence Minister wrote in the post, which amassed over 95,000 views in a day.
"This young champ told me he can peel three eggs in under a minute!"
When asked by AsiaOne, Meng Yew said: "I can peel three to five eggs in a minute."
One user commented that it is "no joke peeling eggs" and that the "shells won't come off".
Meng Yew shared that the trick to peeling eggs was to make small cracks on the eggshells to allow water to enter, which then helps the eggshells slip off easily.
Michael, a regular customer, told AsiaOne that it was "very sweet" to see children helping out their grandparents at hawker stalls.
Another Facebook user wrote: "He has always been a wonderful kid and we love to see him in Holland Drive hawker centre."
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