PUBLISHED ONSeptember 06, 2022 12:07 PMByAmierul RashidTeo Ah Bee has been making kueh pulau pinang (also known as apam balik or min jiang kueh) for over 60 years.
While his stall has closed, foodies can take comfort in the fact that he isn't going to stop making his kueh.
Last Wednesday (Aug 31) was the final day of operations for his Buangkok Crescent stall and more than 200 customers queued up on the day in a show of support, Shin Min Daily News reported.
According to the Chinese news publication, the queue started at 6am and the stall's kueh was sold out in three hours.
Despite the stall's popularity, Ah Bee is set on closing it.
Apparently, he was asked by Yi Jia Coffee House's management to shift his stall to another location within the coffee shop but the new space was too cramped.
"It's now very inconvenient for me to work. So I thought since it’s so tough, I might as well not continue lah," he told 8days.
An alternative would be finding a new location, but Ah Bee told Shin Min Daily News it is expensive to rent a coffee shop stall these days.
For hawker centres run by National Environment Agency (NEA), the competition to secure a stall is fierce, Ah Bee said.
He added that he had tried to bid for a stall a number of times but was unsuccessful.
As chances of relocation are looking slim, many of his friends and regulars have expressed interest in obtaining his kueh pulau pinang recipe.
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"Some people say they can give me a few thousand dollars in angbaos if I teach them," Ah Bee told Shin Min Daily News.
However, the hawker said he's not interested in selling his recipe and making bank. He's more interested in imparting his knowledge to other local hawkers, he said, adding that his main concern is that "people from everywhere" get the chance to learn from him.
Making money is secondary as what makes him happy is seeing people enjoying good food, he said.
For the time being, Ah Bee will be taking a break. But he isn't ready to retire just yet.
He plans on starting a home-based business where he sells his kueh to his regulars on weekends.
Ah Bee also intends to make use of the extra time on his hands by doing good and and giving out free kueh to those in need.
"I'm currently still planning what I should do. I hope I can give back to society. If there are any customers who want to offer me money, there is no need to do so.
"Instead, they can donate it to Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple."