SINGAPORE – Eight years ago, Mr Daren Oliveiro and his wife, Madam Vivian Liem, left their corporate jobs to set up Butternut at Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre.
The hawker stall, known for its 2mm-thin pizzas including its signature butternut chicken pizza, also sells spaghetti and other Western food.
The couple had wanted to set up a cafe, but later decided that owning a hawker stall was a more affordable option.
“It has not been an easy journey,” said Mr Oliveiro, 44, a former sales and events professional. “You need a fighting spirit to survive.”
Manpower costs have risen from $8 to $16 an hour over the past eight years, and ingredient costs have surged – a carton of cheese has gone up from $33 to $55, he said.
Madam Liem, 40, said they work 12 to 16 hours daily, beyond their operational hours. They “wear many hats” such as human resources, finance and marketing, on top of preparing the food and manning the stall.
Their sons, aged 12 and 10, also help with washing dishes or taking orders.
“Most Singaporeans and permanent residents prefer working in an air-conditioned place,” said Madam Liem, a former IT professional. “My wish is that with technological advancement, we can get robots to help with the cooking, and drones with food delivery one day.”
Despite their struggles, the couple are happy that their hawker journey will be captured in a new publication titled Singapore Hawker Culture.
The book, written in English and Chinese, was launched at Taman Jurong Community Club on Dec 17.
