Liao Fan hawker stall may go global

Singapore’s Michelin-starred soya-sauce chicken rice-and-noodle stall Liao Fan may be going international.

Shooting to fame in July after being awarded a star by the Singapore Michelin Guide, the hawker stall says it is collaborating with brand manager Hersing Culinary on global expansion plans.

Hersing owns the Asia Pacific franchising rights to Hong Kong’s Michelin-starred dim sum eatery Tim Ho Wan.
But even as his business expands, Liao Fan owner Chan Hon Meng says his outlet at Chinatown Food Complex will stay. The 51-year-old’s business was one of two hawker stalls awarded a one-star rating by Michelin, the other being Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle in Crawford Lane.

Queues formed at Chan’s stall before it had even opened the day after its star was awarded, and he says he had since received offers from five companies to buy his recipe.

Chan says he wants to remain a partner even after selling the recipe, and has laid out three criteria for potential partners – an offer of at least $2 million as a “guaranteed co-operation fee” for the recipe and cooking expertise; the partner has the resources to expand the brand “all over the world”; and the company needs to ensure the taste of his soya-sauce chicken is replicated and standardised in all the outlets.

He says his ambition is to become the “No. 2 chicken eatery chain” after KFC. A key reason for his intention to expand overseas is the increase in the number of tourists visiting his stall since the award. He estimates they form about 90 per cent of his customers.