The Recipe for Respect: A Singaporean Family’s Feast Honors Their Helper as Kin

A Singaporean family recently welcomed the visiting relatives of their Myanmar helper into their home, creating a rare and meaningful experience for everyone involved.

The week-long visit, during which the helper’s family prepared a traditional Burmese meal in appreciation, was shared on TikTok by Nicolette Sum or (@/nicolettelovesu).

A Taste of Home, Prepared with Love

The meal included Mohinga, a well-loved fish noodle soup often considered Myanmar’s national dish, and Mont Lone Yay Baw, a glutinous rice dessert with a sweet palm sugar filling.

From shaving fresh coconuts and setting the table to the helper’s mother and sister gently rolling glutinous rice balls by hand, every detail was done with care.

Despite the language barrier, the families shared stories, laughter, and meaningful moments throughout the meal.

A Bond That Feels Like Family

The meal was more than just a celebration. It shows the close bond the two families have built over time.

Additionally, the helper has often told the family that she sees them as her own and in return, they expressed deep appreciation for her, stating, “In fact, we are so lucky to have her too.”

A Gesture That Touched the Hearts of Many

The video shared online touched many viewers. Comments poured in from people praising the family for their kindness and for setting an example of how helpers should be treated.

One viewer wrote, “With people like you, there’s still hope to show migrant workers the respect they deserve.”

Others said it was the first time they had seen an employer host their helper’s family at home, and called it heartwarming.

Comments from Myanmar also expressed their appreciation and shared how much it meant to see their fellow people treated with such care.

Some also pointed out that the helper’s parents must feel relieved to see their daughter treated nicely while working so far from home.

Kindness Can Make a Difference

In a society where many domestic workers still face mistreatment, this story shows how a simple act of kindness can make a lasting impact. What began as a visit turned into something much more meaningful.

A shared meal, connection between families, and a chance to show appreciation in both directions.

Featured photos courtesy of @/nicolettelovesu on TikTok.

Watch the video here:

@nicolettelovesu

Our Myanmar helper’s family came to visit her in Singapore and we had them stay with us for the week! 💕 They prepared a lovely Burmese cuisine feast for us – Mohinga (national dish of Myanmar) and Mont Lone Yay Baw (classic Burmese dessert). So much effort went into it from her dad shaving the coconuts, mum and sister rolling the glutinous flour, preparing the huge pot of broth for the noodles and all the little toppings. Even with the language barrier (our helper had to do all the translation, we had such a nice meal together hearing about their aspirations, plans and future together as a family. Our helper always tells us she is so grateful for our family (background: she is a transfer helper 3 years ago from a family who made her go between two houses, by foot 30 mins each way, had a piece of bread for lunch, sleeps 1am-4am ish every night and have a 1 hour nap time in the day only. she was so sad and cried so much, thinking if this is the life working jn Singapore. thankfully my dad got to know from one of our staff that she is looking to transfer out so we took the chance and transferred her over despite the language barrier and her lack of cooking skills. in these 3 years, she spent time learning the english and mandarin language, wrote down countless recipes my mum and sister taught her and now she can speak so well and is an amazing cook) and how she sees us all as her family. In fact, we are so lucky to have her too 🥲🩷 One of our family’s core values is treating others with kindness, respect, and sincerity — because we believe that when you live by those values, they come back to you in the most meaningful ways.

♬ Just You, My Dear – Emily Wang