While most 16-year-olds would rush home after school to play online games or scroll their phones for hours, Chen Xueyou (transliteration) has decided to take an entirely different path.
Chen, who currently studies at a secondary school in Johor, set up his own char koay teow stall on Jan 1 of this year despite having no prior background in cooking the dish.
Was inspired by a hawker
Speaking to China Press, Chen said that during the school holidays last year, he worked for a month at a char kway teow stall.
As he watched the hawker cook up plates of piping hot char koay teow, his interest in learning the secret in making the dish was sparked, and he was taught the basics by the hawker.
“After going home, I practiced on my own and decided to have my own stall. On Dec 28 last year, I bought myself a wok and stove before renting a stall.
“I couldn’t wait for school to start and officially launched my business on Jan 1,” he said.
Shared 3 key principles
Chen went on to share the three main principles he adheres to when he prepares a plate of char koay teow.
“First, the heat must be right as the ‘wok hei’ is essential. Second, ingredients must be fresh with no corners being cut. Third, every plate must be cooked as if it’s the first one.”
To ensure freshness, Chen sources for clams, prawns, and other ingredients from a nearby fishing village. After finishing school at noon or 2pm, he begins slicing fish cakes and garlic before heading to the stall at around 5pm.
The stall is open from 6pm to 10pm every day except for Mondays, where Chen is assisted by his mother Cai Lingbao (transliteration) and a friend.
‘Worth the toil’
Chen has no regrets in embarking on a path that most of his peers wouldn’t venture on as running a char koay teow stall requires much sacrifice.
“Opening the stall for four hours may not be long, but to me, it represents perseverance, responsibility, and the path that I’m building for my future.
At times I do feel tired, get choked by the smoke, or end up reeking of oil, but hearing a customer say that my char koay teow is delicious makes it worthwhile,” he said.
While Chen admits that all he has is just a wok and a strong will to succeed, he believes that he’s selling more than just an ordinary plate of char koay teow—a life that he has built step-by-step on his own.
Proud of son’s achievement
Chen’s mother told China Press that her son’s business has been doing well, where he’s able to serve more than 50 plates on some days.
She added that she has arranged a trip to China for him in October as a reward for his hard work and entrepreneurial effort.
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