Hawker Center
Hawker Center ( Chinese : 小贩 中心; pinyin : xiǎofàn zhōngxīn or Chinese : 熟食 中心; pinyin: shúshí zhōngxīn) are semi-open, covered buildings in Singapore , Malaysia , Hong Kong and the Riau Islands with many stalls selling a variety of inexpensive meals to offer. They are typically located in city centers, near public housing estates or transport hubs (e.g. bus hubs or train stations).
Hawker centers were set up as a hygienic alternative to the street kitchens outdoors. Instead of mobile dining cars, fixed stands in open-air buildings are provided for the dealers. Shared tables and chairs are available for customers.
This concept has completely eliminated the need for street vendors in Singapore and reduced the number of street vendors in the major cities of Southeast Asia. This phenomenon is also aided by hawker licensing laws, which however prevent new low capital entrepreneurs from starting their business, resulting in higher prices for established hawker center booths. However, hawker centers can offer a good selection of high quality, hygienic food at affordable prices for everyone. Often the stalls specialize in individual dishes.
Singapore
Hawker centers sprang up in Singapore after rapid urbanization in the 1950s and 1960s. They were mainly built to solve the problem of unsanitary food preparation by unlicensed street vendors. Because of the growing affluence in the cities of Malaysia and Singapore, hawker centers have become less ubiquitous. In Singapore in particular, they are increasingly being replaced by food courts . H. through air-conditioned interiors in shopping centers.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the hawker centers were considered a meeting place for the less affluent. They were known for their unsanitary food, including the frequent occurrence of stray pets and pests. Many hawker centers were poorly run by their operators; there was often a lack of running water and suitable facilities for cleaning. Recently, hygiene standards have improved under pressure from local authorities. This includes the implementation of a license requirement, for which a sufficient standard of hygiene is required, and the reward of exceptionally good hygiene. The modernization or rebuilding of hawker centers began in Singapore in the late 1990s.
The Hawker Centers in Singapore are owned by three government agencies, namely the National Environment Agency (NEA) under the umbrella of the Department of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR), the Housing and Development Board (HDB) and the JTC Corporation.
As of 2016, two Singaporean food stalls, both in hawker centers, were the first street vendors to be awarded a Michelin star for excellent food. The two stalls are Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle and Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle.
Thanks to Singapore's gentrification , more and more hawker centers are getting a facelift to reach out to the younger Singaporeans. Not only are these new modern hawker centers stylishly decorated, they also sell groceries normally found in restaurants.
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, most hawker centers (熟食 中心) are either located in market complexes of residential areas or as stand-alone buildings (the case in most industrial areas). There are only a few exceptions (e.g. Mong Kok Cooked Food Market is on the lower levels of the Langham Place Hotel). Hawker centers are managed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in Hong Kong.
Most of the stalls from the hawker centers are being remodeled through strict regulations and management from the former Dai Pai Dongs (street kitchens); the Hong Kong government is viewing the provision of hawker centers as a way of removing the traditional Dai Pai Dongs from local streets. During the industrial boom in the 1960s and 1970s, the government also built hawker centers in industrial areas to meet the needs of workers in large industrial centers such as Kwun Tong , Tsuen Wan and Fo Tan .
The booths in the cooking centers usually offer local cuisine. Those who sell exotic dishes are in the minority.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Angelika Schwaff: Instructions for use for the Hawker Center in Singapore. In: Reise-Freude.de. April 26, 2016. Retrieved June 11, 2018 .
- ↑ Soo Kim: Singapore street food stalls get Michelin stars. In: Telegraph.co.uk. July 25, 2016, accessed June 11, 2018 .
- ↑ 10 Hipster Hawker Centers And Kopitiams With Modern Decor And IG-Worthy Food. In: eatbook.sg. January 26, 2018, accessed June 11, 2018 .