It doesn’t always take top dollar to eat the best food in the world. The Michelin Guide, in 2016, embraced food for the common food goer by awarding a Michelin Star to a food stall in Singapore. But, in 2021, they took that star away. What does this mean for the future of humble fine dining?

By Ike Spry, Food Consultant and Guide

Back in 2016, Chan Hong Meng received a coveted Michelin star at his Singapore food stall Hawker Chan. His soya chicken rice dish, at only $2.25, surprised the public by becoming the world’s cheapest Michelin-starred meal. Chan Hong Meng took this success and opened up multiple restaurants in other countries. It seems this new success and growth of the restaurants, however, undermined what gave Chan his star in the first place. Now, in 2021, Michelin’s food guide of Singapore has left out any mention of the famed Singapore food stall. 

A representative from Chan Hong Meng’s restaurant told CNN that “Chef Chan Hong Meng has prepared his famous soya sauce chicken rice since 2009 with his secret recipe and cooking method, which has not changed since the beginning of Hawker Chan in 2009. He has always believed that his food should be freshly prepared daily and cooking should not be done in a central kitchen. We do hope to understand why the Michelin Guide has left us out of the list this year. However, we also understand that everyone has their own opinion when it comes to food choices. We will continue to serve delicious and affordable meals as that is our vision and mission.” The restaurant seems like they’ll try their best next year to earn the star again on the Michelin Singapore Guide although they don’t seem too upset. It’s business as usual.

The Michelin Guide has very high standards and usually is awarded to expensive fine dining and extravagant tasting menus, especially as you approach two or three stars (the most any restaurant can get is three stars). A restaurant that is a food stall charging $2.50 a dish rarely (never?) earns even one star. The food stall losing its star, which put it on the map in the first place, may impact the business, but nobody’s quite sure yet. I really hope this restaurant succeeds without its star, as it proves that the Michelin Guide isn’t just reserved for “pompous” fine dining restaurants. A humble stall in Singapore can serve a delicious meal under 3 dollars and still be designated “fine dining.”