Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre wins award for offering healthier dining options

While hawker food is something near and dear to Singaporeans, many of our favourite dishes are often packed with calories.

But one hawker centre's efforts to offer healthier choices have come to light.

At the Singapore Hawkers' Celebration and Awards 2025 on Monday (Nov 24), Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre was the first to win the Healthier Dining Hawker Centre Award.

This new category, launched in collaboration with the Health Promotion Board, recognises hawker centres for encouraging healthy eating through the use of healthier ingredients in dishes.

To determine the winner for this award, five hawker centres with the highest proportion of stalls using healthier ingredients were first shortlisted by judges.

Then, the public was invited to vote for the nominee they thought was most deserving.

Speaking to AsiaOne, managing director of Canopy Hawkers Group Joey Tan shared that some healthier choice dishes at the hawker centre include wanton noodles, herbal soup and mee soto.

Canopy Hawkers Group manages Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre.

While the dishes are prepared traditionally, hawkers use low-sodium sauces and healthier oils in their cooking to make them healthier, Joey explained.

Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre also won the Favourite Hawker Centre award, which is determined entirely by public voting.

The Singapore Hawkers' Awards, introduced in 2021, aim to recognise the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of hawkers and their contributions to Singapore's culture.

The event is organised by the Federation of Merchants' Associations, Singapore and supported by the National Environment Agency and National Heritage Board.

This year's ceremony, held at Bliss Garden restaurant in Singapore Expo, included a celebratory lunch to commemorate the fifth anniversary of hawker culture's inscription on the Unesco Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage and SG60.

It was attended by Guest of Honour Goh Hanyan, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, who presented the awards to the recipients.

9 hawkers recognised for contributions

The event also saw nine hawkers win awards for their contributions to tradition, innovation and mentorship.

One of the three recipients of the Heritage Hawker Award was Syed Abdul Rahaman, who owns Bahrakath Mutton Soup at Adam Food Centre.

Syed's father started the stall in 1974 and was its owner until his death in 2005.

The 64-year-old was then encouraged by his wife to take over his father's business and continue the legacy, he told the media, adding that she was his biggest supporter.

His eldest son currently runs the business, while Syed remains the owner.

The second-generation hawker said he was pleasantly surprised to receive the award and thanked his family as well as his customers for their support over the years.

While Syed was recognised for preserving hawker heritage, Lau Wei Yong was awarded the Enterprising Hawker Award for his use of high-tech appliances and social media to run his hawker business.

Wei Yong owns Spicelios, a briyani and fusion wraps stall located at Amoy Street Food Centre, where he uses a combination oven to make his nasi briyani.

A combination oven is a three-in-one appliance which allows one to cook with steam, hot air, or a combination of both.

The 42-year-old ex-Guards officer had previously garnered attention when he swapped his Singapore Armed Forces uniform for an apron after 18 years of service.

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Speaking to AsiaOne, the hawker said that while traditions are important, the world is consistently changing.

"So we have to keep up with the pace... leverage on technology to aid us," he said, citing manpower shortages and high ingredient costs as some issues the use of technology could help alleviate.

Wei Yong dedicated the award to his family, who supported him unconditionally.

"I have to thank my wife, because she has always been my pillar, the strength for me to run this business," he said.

Wei Yong added that his grandmother regularly assists him with cashier duties and the packing of orders at the stall, and even his sisters come down to lend a hand when needed.

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bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com