WANT TO COOK LIKE ARMENIAN STREET CHAR KWAY TEOW HAWKER? PAY $30K

Dear A.S.S. Editor

Any fan of the famous Armenian Street Char Kway Teow can now cook their own similar dish, as one of the sons of the original hawker, the late Mr Tan Chong Chia, is offering to teach any aspiring chef the correct way to cook the dish based on their family’s way of cooking it.

However, the son, Mr Tan Boon Teck, 49, who co-owned the Block 24 Sin Ming Road stall with his eldest brother, Mr Tan Boon Kiat, 60, is ready to teach anyone who is willing to pay $30,000 to $50,000 for the privilege. And there is also a catch. He will not be supplying the secret sauces and ingredients, so apprentices who start their own stalls will not know the family’s secret recipe for the fried rice noodle dish. Thus, pay so much, learn for a month, but at the end of the ‘course’, you will still not be able to replicate the exact recipe of the famous Char Kway Teow.

Mr Tan hopes that the person he teaches will open another stall under the family brand’s name. Apprentices who are interested can discuss the cost and further terms and conditions with him and his brother. He said that he charges so much for the privilege because he wants to impart his skills, as he has stage three colon cancer, and he also hopes the money from teaching others how to cook can help him pay for the treatment.

Any takers? Interested apprentices should call Ms Cindy Tan, daughter of Mr Tan Soo Kiat, on 9851-3725 for more information.

Tim Soh

A.S.S. Contributor