Welcome to Singapore's hustle economy
Aditi Bharade
"We're the same age," I told Ernest Ang, a 24-year-old who opened an eatery two years ago with his grandmother's recipes.
And yet, it feels like we live in different worlds.
Every day, he whips up large batches of fried chicken and beef rendang in Singapore's 90-degree tropical heat. On the other side of the island, in the glitzy financial district, I write about the Trump administration and the general chaos of the world.
I started my first job in a newsroom after graduating from college in 2024, diving headfirst into the corporate grind. I sign off at 5:30 p.m. and value the work-life balance my writing job offers.
Last year, I started collecting stories of Singaporean Gen Zers and millennials shunning the comfort and stability of the 9-5 in favor of starting their own food businesses — ventures that come with backbreaking long hours. I was humbled.
Aditi Bharade
Hawker centers, like where Ang set up shop, are the go-to for budget meals in Singapore. They're cheap, hearty, and convenient, and I've eaten from them as long as I can remember.
There are 123 hawker centers in the country, managed by the National Environment Agency. On average, each center has about seven to 10 individual stalls.
Traditionally, they sell dishes like Hainanese chicken rice, bak kut teh, a peppery and flavorful pork soup, or nasi lemak, aromatic rice served with dishes. The stalls are typically run by middle-aged to senior hawkers.
Aditi Bharade
But as younger hawkers join the business, there's been an increase in specialty stalls selling matcha, craft beer, baked goods, and fusion dishes.
Success is an uphill battle, with a massive failure rate due to rising store rents and a frugal consumer base. In 2025, 3,074 food and beverage businesses in Singapore closed their doors, per statistics from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore.
This has not deterred hopeful entrepreneurs — 4,103 new food businesses opened last year.
Aditi Bharade
Most of the young chefs I interviewed work six to seven days a week, getting up well before the sun rises to prep ingredients for the day and retiring late into the night after feeding hungry dinner crowds.
I spoke with eight Gen Z and millennial F&B owners across the country about what makes them tick, what fears give them chills at night, and if they regret choosing a risky career path.
Spoiler: They don't.