Latest news with #BotakCantonesePorridge
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Your S'pore Story: ‘They may come curious about the president's ex-bodyguard, but I hope they will return for the porridge'
This F&B entrepreneur left behind a career in protection to continue her parents' hawker legacy. But she is also modernising it with youth and heart Hawker Lim Hwee Yi serving up porridge at One Punggol Hawker Centre – the first stall she built from the ground up after leaving her job as a personal security officer. By the age of 27, most people are just getting into the rhythm of their careers. But many Singaporeans would not even think of running a hawker stall with the trade known for its long hours and back-breaking work. But that is exactly what Ms Lim Hwee Yi has chosen to do – and takes pride in. Watch her video here. Just last year, she swapped her earpiece and gun – from her days as a personal security officer – for aprons and bubbling pots of porridge. Ms Lim had protected former President Halimah Yacob, current President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and their spouses during her stint with the Police Security Command. Today, the second-generation hawker is not only continuing her parents' legacy with Botak Cantonese Porridge , but also giving the business a fresh spin: bringing in younger hires through social media, introducing new business ideas and building a workplace culture that feels more like friends working toward a common goal. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia India, Singapore ministers discuss deeper tie-ups in digitalisation, skills, industrial parks Business More seniors remain employed after retirement and re-employment ages raised in 2022: MOM study Singapore askST: Will assets seized in $3b money laundering case be sold at public auctions? Business StarHub first-half profit falls 41.7% to $47.9m; telco eyes 'more aggressive stance' amid competition Business CapitaLand Investment first-half profit falls 13.3%, appoints new CEO of private funds Singapore 2 dead after fire in Jalan Bukit Merah flat, about 60 evacuated Sport PSG beat Tottenham on penalties to win Uefa Super Cup Singapore TB screenings at two pre-schools after staff member diagnosed in July She shares more about her journey as a young hawker and what keeps the fire going. Ms Lim hopes that her staff will eventually become business partners and open new porridge stalls with her. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA 'The first reaction customers have when they find out I used to be a bodyguard is always the same: 'Eh, how come you so small-sized?'. I was a bodyguard for five years protecting two of Singapore's presidents. It can be intimidating, obviously, but they were also very nice to work with. When I graduated from polytechnic at 21, I wanted to join my parents' business right away. But they wanted me to experience life first, so I signed up with the police force. Last year, in my first week of taking over my parents' two hawker stalls, I messed up big time. I was complacent and used the wrong proportions of water and rice. The congee was so watery we couldn't even sell it. That was my wake-up call. People think porridge is just rice and water – so easy, right? But actually, it's not. Every single detail is important. We sell Cantonese-style porridge – the kind which you can't see the rice grains. It is made with three types of rice and everything we use is high quality, from the fish to the sesame oil and even the soy sauce. My dad used to be a chef and he learnt this recipe from a Cantonese chef. We really take pride in what we do. Right now, I manage our third and newest stall at One Punggol Hawker Centre. It's the first outlet I built up from scratch and I run it with a younger team – most of them are between 22 and 27, around my age. I managed to hire a few of them through a TikTok video I posted. They started as part-timers and later came on board full-time. We are trying to break away from the traditional way of hiring hawkers. In the past, hawkers usually just received a fixed monthly salary with no career progression. Here, I give them clear milestones. Every time they hit one, they get a salary increment – the long-term goal is for them to become business partners and open new stalls with us. More on this topic 'Our love story started with bubble tea' There is also no hierarchy here. We see each other more as colleagues and solve problems together. If something goes wrong, we don't waste time blaming one another – we just focus on finding the solution. This is the culture we want to cultivate. They seem happy coming to work because it is like working with friends! We currently have about 12 to 15 full-timers across our three stalls. But we believe that a business is only sustainable if your team isn't overworked and you have enough manpower. This is how we attract younger staff. I am giving myself five years before deciding my future. But I really hope people will give us a chance. They may come curious about the president's ex-bodyguard, but I hope they will return for the porridge.'
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
500 free bowls of porridge a month at Botak Cantonese Porridge for CHAS card holders
Few things epitomise comfort quite like a bowl of warm porridge — and delivers exactly that, and more. In partnership with crowdfunding platform the stall is doling out to Blue and Orange CHAS Card holders. Known and loved for their hearty, delicious Cantonese congee, the adorably named Botak Cantonese Porridge has outlets in Our Tampines Hub Hawker Centre and One Punggol Hawker Centre — both of which are offering the free porridge deal for dine-in only. The promotion kicked off on 11 Jun 2025, with no announced end date at the moment. To redeem, all you have to do is flash your Blue or Orange CHAS card to enjoy a free bowl of porridge priced at S$4 or below. There's a limit of 1 bowl per diner per visit, while the monthly quota lasts. And guess what? This isn't the only wonderful initiative from Botak Cantonese Porridge. They've also run a quirky campaign called 'Surprise The Botak', where the first botak (bald) customer of the day gets a free bowl of porridge. Their TikTok reels from it never fail to crack me up! If you're down for the free porridge deal and are wondering what's in store for you, we've got you covered. Botak Cantonese Porridge serves up a wide variety of Canto-style porridge, including a total of 11 options priced S$4 and under. Think fuss-free classics like Shredded Chicken Porridge (S$3.50), Pork Porridge (S$4) and Handmade Meatball Porridge (S$3.50) — which includes tasty meatballs hand-kneaded fresh every morning. Our top pick? The ever-reliable Minced Pork Century Egg Porridge (S$4), which features toothsome chunks of meat and century eggs in the thick, velvety congee, garnished with spring onions and crispy you tiao. Don't forget the Egg (S$0.60) if you'd like yours extra creamy! 15 best porridges in Singapore that deserve the congee-niality award [May 2025 update] The post 500 free bowls of porridge a month at Botak Cantonese Porridge for CHAS card holders appeared first on
