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SINGAPORE \u2013 When Mr Lucas Neo started posting food videos on TikTok and Instagram, the straight-talking insurance boss never imagined he would end up in the hot seat.<\/p>\n
Mr Neo, 35, executive director of an agency under AIA Financial Advisers, had started a series called Exposing Michelin Hawkers on Sept 16 under the moniker Lucas The Boss. He wanted to give his take on 148 Michelin-listed hawkers and see if they lived up to their reputation.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy doing this series, I wanted to provide real, unbiased reviews for the public, build a bigger online presence and spread positivity. I did not expect the huge backlash,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
The series kicked off with what he called his \u201cbrutal honest review\u201d of A Noodle Story, in which he stated that paying $10.80 for the bowl of noodles was an \u201cabsolute no\u201d for him. Despite praising its \u201cbeautiful\u201d presentation and \u201cflavourful huge wonton\u201d, he did not like the \u201calkaline smell\u201d of the noodles, which made the entire dish unappetising to him.<\/p>\n
He also questioned how the stall in Amoy Street Food Centre had received the Michelin Bib Gourmand award every year since 2016.<\/p>\n
Barely a month later, after reviewing 49 hawkers, the series attracted not only fans who appreciated his candour, but also food content creators and netizens who slammed him for affecting hawker livelihoods and even accused him of \u201cbreaking their rice bowls\u201d.<\/p>\n
On Oct 14, he posted a video to clarify that he was not paid to do his series and meant no harm to hawkers, adding that he would continue to post reviews despite the hate and negative comments.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonesty in food reviews is akin to being honest with yourself. If you can\u2019t even speak your mind, and just agree with whatever people are saying, what\u2019s the point? Go with the flow? That\u2019s not how a leader acts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Neo, who runs Kin Group, an 85-strong financial services agency, originally ventured online to market himself like others in the insurance industry who talk about success and work ethics. <\/p>\n
But he did not want scripted, run-of-the-mill videos, so he decided to focus on his passions \u2013 food, fitness and finance.<\/p>\n