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The Real Story of Singapore’s Hawkers with Chef Jenny
Should chicken rice really cost $3.50 in the world's most expensive city?
5.0
|4 Reviews
Group size
Up to 5 guests
DURATION
2 hours
Booking type
Join-in trip
MEET UP
At location
Group size
Up to 5 guests
- Experience highlights
- Itinerary
- Inclusions
- Availability
- More Info
- Host
- Reviews
The story of Singapore, through the lens of hawker culture
Should chicken rice really cost $3.50? In one of the world’s most expensive cities, we still expect chicken rice to be as cheap as it was a decade ago - even as rents, ingredients and wages rise. At the same time, many hawkers are growing old, while younger people struggle to make the trade financially viable. So what is really keeping hawker food cheap, and can hawker culture survive for another generation?What looks like a simple place for an affordable meal is actually a living story about Singapore: one shaped by decades of policy, migration, economics and the everyday people who keep our hawker culture alive.Led by chef, food studies researcher and Fulbright-National Geographic Fellow Jenny Dorsey, you'll uncover the hidden forces behind one of Singapore's most iconic institutions. Along the way, you'll discover surprising stories hiding in plain sight, like why two neighbouring stalls can pay vastly different rents ($200 vs $5,000!), or how government decisions made decades ago still shape why we expect a plate of chicken rice to cost just $3.50.This isn't a food tour about finding the best dishes. It's about asking the questions most of us have never stopped to consider. Why is it so difficult for young people to become hawkers? What do we lose when the hawker culture we know disappears altogether?By the end of the experience, you'll leave with a much deeper appreciation for the people behind every stall and the complex realities they navigate every day. More importantly, you'll begin to see that hawker centres are a reflection of the choices we make as a society: what we're willing to pay for a meal, how we value the people behind it, the conversations we have, and the policies we support. It's an invitation to look beyond what's on your plate and discover how every Singaporean has a part to play in the future of our hawker culture.What to ExpectLearn about the history and development of Singapore's hawker centresLearn about the public policies that have shaped the hawker sceneDiscuss the future of hawker centresYou will be observing, learning, and discussing with Jenny throughout the tourGood to KnowThe tour includes $10 per participant to enjoy a hawker brunch of your choice
Experience highlights
What You’ll be Doing
Explore the evolution & future of hawker centres with a food studies expert
Show Details
What’s Included
Expert Guide
$10 to purchase your brunch at the hawker centre
Sweet & savoury snacks
Who you’re supporting
Women-led Wonder
Show Details
Next Available Dates
Prices shown in USD
Select Time for 06 Aug 2026
Additional Information
Where we'll meet
Start Point
Meet-up at Golden Mile Food Centre(Golden Mile Food Centre, Beach Road, Singapore)
- 15 mins before selected timeslot
- Notes: We will meet by the ATM machines.
End Point
- End at Albert Centre (Albert Centre Market & Food Centre, Queen Street, Singapore)
Start & Ends
Select your preferred date to see timings.
Suitability / Accessibility
- Vegetarian food available
- Halal food available
- Recommended Age: 18+
Cancellation & other policies
Cancellation
Cancel 24 hours before activity for a full refund
From
$87.98 SGD
/person5.0(4)
Show Prices
Meet your host
Jenny is a professional chef, food writer, and researcher who studies food as the foundation for human meaning-making and identity formation. She holds a Master of Education from Harvard University and just finished her Fulbright-National Geographic Fellowship in Singapore, researching food policy in the context of hawker centres. Jenny is an IACP-winning photographer, James Beard Awards-nominated writer, and has been named an industry Game Changer by Food & Wine and a Trailblazing Activist by the World’s 50 Best. Her full biography, food portfolio, awards, and bylines are available at www.jennydorsey.co.
Experience: 12 years
Speaks: Fluent English
Acceptance rate: 100%
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