A 16-year-old student in Batu Pahat has started his own fried kway teow stall after working part-time for one month. Instead of resting after school, he spends his evenings cooking and serving customers. With strong determination and support from his family, he is building his small business step by step.
From Part-Time Job to Own Stall
Chen Xueyou, a Form Four student, first learned to cook fried kway teow during the year-end school holiday. He worked at a coffee shop stall and watched the owner cook every day. Soon, he became interested and asked to learn the basic skills. After returning home, he practised on his own and decided to open his own stall.
On January 1, he began his business at a dessert shop in Taman Jinling. Every day, he opens from 6 pm to 10 pm. He handles everything himself, from preparing ingredients to cooking each plate.
Daily Routine and Hard Work
After school, Chen starts preparing ingredients such as fish cakes, garlic, clams, and shrimp. He buys fresh seafood to keep the quality high. By 5 pm, he is ready at his stall to begin cooking.
He said the work is not easy. Sometimes he feels tired and uncomfortable from the heat and smoke. However, he continues because he wants to improve his skills and serve good food. On busy nights, he can cook more than 50 plates.
Simple Rules for Quality Food
Chen follows three simple rules in his cooking. First, he controls the heat carefully to create the right wok aroma. Second, he uses fresh ingredients and does not reduce portion sizes. Third, he treats every plate seriously, as if it is the first one.
His stall offers fried kway teow, fried noodles, and mixed options. The stall is closed every Monday.
Family Support Behind the Business
Chen’s mother, a gas station manager, supports him by driving him to the stall every day. She also helped fund the business with about SGD 580 in starting capital. His friend also helps him as an assistant.
At home, his family helped him practise by tasting his cooking every weekend.
His mother said she is proud of his effort and has planned a trip for him later this year as a reward.
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