From Skies to Stalls: The Unexpected Journey of Two Former Pilots
What started as a high‑altitude adventure has turned into a bustling breakfast corner in Ang Mo Kio, where the duo now whips up the famous min jiang kueh – a thick, sweet pancake that holds a legendary spot in Singapore’s hawker scene.
Past Lives as Flight Crew
– Ken Chew, a former senior first officer for Juneyao Air, retired from the cockpit after the pandemic hit in February.
For both, the world of flying had been replaced by the sizzling heat of a coffee shop kitchen.
The Serendipitous Encounter with Granny’s Pancake
On a regular morning, Ken and Steven spotted a line that seemed to stretch forever outside Granny’s Pancake at Ghim Moh Market. The 55‑year‑old Billy Ng, whose stall had earned rave reviews, became their mentor after the guys tasted his real‑deal breakfast.
Why It Was a Game‑Changer
– Unique flavor that set it apart from ordinary pancakes.
Learning the Hawker Trade
September marked the end of their apprenticeship and the beginning of the Hawker Development Programme. The curriculum covered everything from business planning to marketing strategies. Their glow-up involved:
- Crunching numbers to keep the books straight.
- Studying customer behavior and cravings.
- Discovering how to craft the perfect batter.
The Current Setup
Now, the pair runs a cozy stall in an Ang Mo Kio coffee shop, experimenting with flavors that keep the crowd coming back. It’s a bit of a physically demanding gig—mixing vats of batter and standing in front of hot, cast‑iron pans—but the applause from diners keeps the momentum alive.
Future Dreams & Hopes
- Expand to a hawker stall of their own—soon as finances allow.
- Recruit a team to manage daily operations while they focus on the overall business.
- Dream about the skies again: Ken believes aviation will rebound “within a year or two”.
Steven sums it up: “Every cheerful feedback volunteer our pancakes nurtures me deeper into this new world. It’s the fuel that keeps me going.”
Personal Insights
Ken: “Going back to, or at least hearing, the roar of the engines is an aspiration for now.”
Steven: “There’s a whole new horizon here—it’s just as thrilling, if not more, to stack pancakes instead of planes.”
For those curious about the next chapter in this pair’s culinary adventures—or the latest on COVID‑19—stay tuned to Today, where the skies and street‑food stories converge.
