'We have a culinary prejudice': Dr Leslie Tay on the future of hawker culture

[CY09]

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sing...39380.html

Quite an interesting interview. It highlights a few factors: The "expected low price"" we expect of our local foods vis a vis Western/Jap cuisine, the reluctance of Singapore workers to enter this hawker profession as they can earn better in other areas of work, and the growing comfort of us

[thor666]

Thanks for sharing cy09. By and large I agreed with Leslie comments. It is particularly worrying as the govt is micromanaging the costs of f&b in this particular hawker sector to minimize inflation, but I do not think is sustainable and we will see a lot less variety of food in order for hawkers to managw costs.

Regarding the social enterprise stalls, I seen one selling "cai fan".. No one wanted to patronize the stall.. Says something about pegging low costs.

Sent from my D5503 using Tapatalk

[brattzz]

minimum the food must be yummy lah!
don't mind paying more for yummy food!

Just do not buy the idea of expensive Jap ramens,

[LionFlyer]

Coincidentally, I browsed Dr Leslie Tay's book on Sunday. When he wrote about culinary prejudice, I had thought he meant the lack of people patronizing hawkers and instead, preferring air-conditioned restaurants and atas cafes, usually selling foreign food. I see this being increasingly prevalent among the younger working generation based on my own experience.

As a society becomes more affluent, this type of 'culinary classification' also occurs. Do people see eating at hawker centres low class?

I look at it from the perspective of whether it is good or not versus whether it is atas or not. Had Clinton St Baking and thought they were fantastic for brunch but also had Sungei Road Laksa the same weekend.

[brattzz]

i like eating @ hawker centres, and kopi-shops with history,

class or not, it does not make a huge difference to the yummy taste actually..

But, i do have friends and families with kids who feel that it's too stuffy, hot, oily..messy to eat at hawker centers...
which is kinda sad...

Actually, i feel that NEA/Sg garment has done well in hawker center upgrades and house keeping, etc... the hygiene level is high...
just that sometimes the weather is too hot...

most families with kids prefer air-conditioning...