People enjoying a variety of hawker fare at New World Park food court in George Town.
A GUARDIAN of her family’s culinary legacy, Lee Bee Hong remains steadfast in preparing each bowl of Hokkien mee herself.
The recipe was born from years of tasting and refining, a secret passed down from her family who has been in the business for over 60 years.
For Lee, it’s not just about the food, it’s about preserving a legacy.
“No foreigner can replicate the taste of Hokkien mee.
Lee (bottom, right) preparing Hokkien mee using her mother’s recipe. — Photos: ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
“One must go through trial and error before coming up with a recipe.
“This is my mother’s recipe and since I am still able to prepare it, I shall do it on my own and save on hiring costs,” she said at a food court on Jalan Burma in George Town, Penang.
It was earlier reported that Penang Island City Council (MBPP) would be enforcing a ban on foreigners becoming the main cooks of 13 types of hawker fare in all privately-owned hawker stalls, food courts and coffeeshops starting next year.
MBPP councillor Tan Soo Siang said the proposal was still pending approval in the next council meeting.
She said the paper on the proposal was about 90% complete and once approved, would be added to the city council’s by-laws.
Boon says if hawkers are hiring foreigners to cook, it means locals are not willing to do the job.
Tan said MBPP received complaints about the quality of hawker food prepared by foreigners hired to run the stalls.
She said the proposal also stipulated that stalls found to be in violation of the law might be fined or have their licence revoked.
The 13 types of food are nasi lemak, asam laksa, pasembor, mee sotong, char kuey teow, kuey teow soup, Hokkien mee, curry mee, wan tan mee, loh bak, chee cheong fun, char koay kak and oh chien (oyster omelette).
The ban will not affect cafes, restaurants, hotels and franchises offering the same types of hawker food in their menus.
A nasi lemak seller, who declined to be named, said hiring a foreigner would help keep the cost down, resulting in more affordable food.
He said a Myanmar national would work for 12 hours for RM60, while a local would command between RM10 and RM15 per hour.
“Foreigners are also willing to work longer hours and I do not need to pay them when my stall is closed for the day.
“Some locals want to be paid on a monthly basis,” he said.
The seller said he would be the one preparing the ingredients and the foreigners would only put them together before serving.
“The taste will be the same,” he claimed.
Customer Boon Kang, who now resides in the United States, said he did not mind ordering food prepared by foreigners as long as they are able to retain the authentic taste and practise good hygiene.
“The workers are here to make a living and they add diversity to the country.
“If hawkers are hiring foreigners to cook, it means that locals are not willing to do the job.”
The Penang-born said paying more for a local to take up the job under the policy would only cause the price of food to go up and hurt customers’ pockets.
“Customers should have the right to decide if they want to order from any hawker stall,” added Boon.
Security guard Mohamad Hassan Abidin said he understood that many hawkers were hiring foreigners to save costs.
“The rising costs of labour and raw materials are affecting consumers.
“If food prepared by foreigners is cheaper and as good, I do not mind,” he said.
In 2016, Penang enforced a ban on foreign cooks in food courts and hawker centres run by city councils to protect its food heritage.
Former chief minister Lim Guan Eng said the ban was meant to ensure the unique taste and flavour of Penang’s hawker fare were retained.
