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Singapore’s restaurant and dining scene is resurrecting once again after the government relaxed its COVID-19 containment measures.  With a plethora of Michelin-starred restaurants and celebrity chef fine dining outlets, it may seem that people are overlooking one essential facet of Singapore living:  hawker food culture. However, ask any Singapore resident or Singaporean on what they really like about Singapore’s food culture and they would be sure to answer you with at least a hawker dish they enjoy. Indeed, hawker centres are places that have long been a major aspect of our city-state, feeding generations of Singaporeans with delicious food at affordable prices. With rising costs of living and a global economic slowdown dampening consumer outlook in 2022, there remains hope for hawker food in Singapore. We explore why below.  #1: Hawker Food Is Cheap And Delicious You can find hearty meals at any hawker centre in our tiny island and fill your stomachs without having to spend more than $5 at times.  A plate of chicken rice typically costs an average of $3.50, while a bowl of laksa can cost $3. A similar dish at a restaurant can be around 50% to 141% more than its hawker counterparts. Thus, at a time when you may be tightening your wallets, hawker food is like a godsend. What is more, people from all walks of life, regardless of income, can congregate in hawker centres to eat their favourite food items.  #2: Hawker Centres Are Vital To Singapore’s Food Scene And Culture Hawker centres have been awarded a UNESCO heritage status for their contributions as  “intangible cultural heritage”  to Singapore’s food scene and culture.  The United Nations acknowledged the vibrancy of Singapore’s hawker tradition and that hawker centres are places where hawkers work hard in “community dining rooms” to serve good food and gather people from different backgrounds. With Singapore’s evolving food landscape and increasingly diverse palate, the presence of hawker centres offer a reassuring sense of stability offering familiar local dishes at affordable prices.  #3: Singaporeans Are Promoting Hawker Food As Well  Social media influencers and food bloggers are making dining at hawker centres a fun and instagrammable activity. For example, blogger Miss Tam Chiak and Dr Leslie Tay of ieatishootipost have been promoting mouth-watering hawker fare from Singapore’s heartlands for years, encouraging their readers to try these stalls out for themselves. Even homegrown chef Willin Low is a die-hard fan of hawker cuisine, with his Instagram feed displaying authentic dishes like otak otak.  #4: Hawker Fare Is Celebrated  The 29th edition of the Singapore Food Festival just ended in September 2022, with local foodies celebrating an eclectic range of homegrown food with emphasis on various classic hawker fare as well as more cosmopolitan dishes. Moreover,  this hybrid event featured both virtual free-to-view masterclasses, as well as in-person experiences like appetising food tours and a spanking new festival village.  #5: A New Generation Of Hawkers  In case you are thinking that hawkers are typically in their middle age or towards retirement age, think again. These days, we are pleased to witness a younger generation of hawkers who have either inherited the trade from their parents and grandparents or simply “trailblazed” their way into the industry! For instance, we see how 25-year-old Lim Wei Keat is learning the ropes of making and selling chicken rice as an apprentice hawker at Shunfu Market in Singapore. Also, younger hawkers are also trying to incorporate international cuisines into their hawker dishes. The Noodle Story, opened by two friends, is one such example of combining European food techniques, Japanese cuisine as well as local tastes to produce a Singapore-style ramen.  To promote hawker food in Singapore, initiatives like QueueCut would help a long way. QueueCuts offers you the option to order your favourite hawker dish without having to wait in line! Therefore, you can save lots of time while satisfying your cravings. Soon, QueueCut will offer food delivery options for you to enjoy your hawker food without having to physically travel to hawker centres!