• His street food stall - called a hawker stall in Singapore – received the much-coveted star which is usually given to fine dining restaurants.
    His street food stall - called a hawker stall in Singapore – received the much-coveted star which is usually given to fine dining restaurants.
  • Hawker centres are open-air, sheltered buildings that house rows of cooked food stalls selling a variety of food, drinks and dessert.
    Hawker centres are open-air, sheltered buildings that house rows of cooked food stalls selling a variety of food, drinks and dessert.
  • Hawker Chan hard working at his new branch at Smith Street, not far from his original stall in Chinatown Complex.
    Hawker Chan hard working at his new branch at Smith Street, not far from his original stall in Chinatown Complex.
  • Long queues form daily as his customers, both locals and tourists, wait in line.
    Long queues form daily as his customers, both locals and tourists, wait in line.
  • Some of his customers are willing to queue for hours.
    Some of his customers are willing to queue for hours.
  • A plate of Hawker Chan’s soya sauce chicken noodle or rice costs only $2 Singapore dollars, or a little more than Dh5 - making it the world’s cheapest Michelin-starred meal.
    A plate of Hawker Chan’s soya sauce chicken noodle or rice costs only $2 Singapore dollars, or a little more than Dh5 - making it the world’s cheapest Michelin-starred meal.
  • Together with Hersing Culinary - a brand management firm that owns several other Michelin-starred franchises - Hawker Chan has expanded his business to several locations in Singapore including this one in Smith Street.
    Together with Hersing Culinary - a brand management firm that owns several other Michelin-starred franchises - Hawker Chan has expanded his business to several locations in Singapore including this one in Smith Street.
  • He has also expanded into Taiwan and has plans to open new eateries in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.
    He has also expanded into Taiwan and has plans to open new eateries in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.
  • Will he consider setting up shop in the Middle East? ‘Yes, if someone there is willing to partner with us,’ he replies.
    Will he consider setting up shop in the Middle East? ‘Yes, if someone there is willing to partner with us,’ he replies.
  • A family from Malaysia enjoying Chan’s Michelin-starred soya sauce chicken.
    A family from Malaysia enjoying Chan’s Michelin-starred soya sauce chicken.

Asia

World’s cheapest Michelin-starred meal - in pictures

Joanna Tan

June 20, 2017

  • English
  • Arabic

Chan Hon Meng became one of the first street food stalls in the world to receive a Michelin star in 2016.

All photos by Munshi Ahmed for The National

South-East AsiaSingapore