Award-winning Kueh Ho Jiak celebrates Singapore’s culinary legacy

Beneath the success, however, runs the perennial challenge of hawker culture. Punishing hours, tropical conditions, and the unglamorous realities of stall operations make staff retention perpetually challenging. “I was born in 1965, 10th in a family of seven girls and four boys. We grew up dirt poor, and sometimes I believe those born in the 1960s are quite hardworking and resilient. They can ‘tahan’ (bear) stress,” Tan reflected with characteristic stoicism. Air-conditioned food courts offering comparable compensation inevitably lure workers away. Sandy navigates these challenges with equanimity, perpetually adapting, unfailingly resilient.

Her kueh themselves represent cultural confluence, and are halal-certified. The puteri and salat varieties acknowledge Peranakan tradition, though Tan favours the more encompassing term ‘Nanyang delicacy’ — an honest recognition of the Teochew, Hokkien, Peranakan, Malay, and myriad influences informing her craft. The bestsellers — Lotus Biscoff, D24 durian, and Haebeehiam sweet potato varieties — appeal to palates appreciating both nostalgia and innovation, while the mugwort and mung bean blend remains a refined favourite.