GETTING up in the wee hours, preparing all the necessary ingredients, facing endless steam from the boiling water and standing in the kitchen all day long are part and parcel of his job as a wan tan mee seller.
But for the past 37 years, 53-year-old Ooi Eng Chuan is taking all of these in his stride, never once complaining about his daily routine.
As the owner of the famous Wan Tan Mee House in Pulau Tikus, Ooi has the steely determination to carry on his family business left by his parents.
Ooi, a second-generation businessman, said his parents used to operate a stall in a coffee shop that is directly opposite the police station, before moving on to a few doors away.
“We moved here so that our new outlet can cater to more customers and provide a more spacious seating area.
“We also sell drinks in our shop for our customers’ convenience as well,” he told Buletin Mutiara during an interview at his shop recently.
Looking back, Ooi said he has no other avenues except to continue his family’s business even though he encountered several challenges.
“Studying is not my cup of tea. I did not do well academically since small. Selling wan tan mee is my so-called profession. It is my rice bowl which enables me to raise my two children.
“On top of that, it is also my desire to continue my father’s legacy as the family business matters the most.
“In fact, I started to wash plates at the age of five before learning the skills of making wan tan mee at the age of 16.
“The rest is history,” he said.
At present, his wan tan mee’s specialities are its gravy topping and dumplings, which have become the biggest draws for locals and tourists.
Ooi said that the noodle is served garnished with roasted pork, vegetables and a few dumplings with the egg noodles.
“It’s not easy to prepare the gravy as we need to prepare it a few hours in advance while we need to prepare plenty of ingredients as well.
“Fortunately, I am staying near the shop. I can easily prepare or bring the ingredients to the shop,” he said.
Prior to the interview, Ooi demonstrated his skills of making wan tan mee to Buletin Mutiara.
“The whole process must be handled properly to ensure it is served to customers fresh,” he said.
When asked about his successor, Ooi said he has yet to identify anyone.
“My two children are now aged 17 and 19. I will not interfere with their career choices,” he said.
Ooi pointed out that his business has gradually improved ever since the standard operating procedure (SOP) restrictions have been eased.
“We are, however, now unable to take orders from the food delivery platforms due to a shortage of manpower.
“Customers are welcome to dine in or order takeaways themselves on the spot,” he added.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Law Suun Ting