Chef
Cheong Weng Wah
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- Singapore, Singapore
i. Biography
Cheong Weng Wah is the owner of Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice in Singapore, the name behind a Michelin Bib Gourmand address built on Hainanese chicken rice. In a city that takes chicken rice seriously, the kitchen reads without ornament: the promise is direct, the execution exacting. The plate is plain in appearance but exact in method — fluffy white rice carrying ginger-garlic flavour, with roasted or steamed chicken served boneless, consistently and without excess.
The Path
Today, Cheong Weng Wah is chef and Executive Chef of Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice. That role points to a career shaped by concentration rather than range. His name is attached to one enduring specialty, and that narrow focus is a craft decision as much as a business one: Hainanese chicken rice depends on timing, texture and restraint, with rice that stays light and fragrant and chicken that is prepared cleanly. The work is less about reinvention than about keeping a disciplined standard intact.
The Work Today
At Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice, Cheong remains tied to the same specialty that has defined his career: Hainanese chicken rice served with a boneless preparation. The dish announces itself plainly, before the plate arrives. That clarity is part of the trade: the food does not need framing when the essentials are handled properly. The rice comes fluffy and white, carrying ginger-garlic flavours that sit gently rather than aggressively, while the chicken is offered roasted or steamed, each version staying within familiar lines. The boneless preparation adds another layer of control, practical and disciplined, with the aim of keeping the core elements of the dish in focus. As owner, he is also tied to the identity of the Singapore business itself. In a cuisine where small details matter, that identity is built on repetition done well rather than spectacle. Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice stands as a direct promise, and Cheong’s role is to keep that promise steady from day to day, plate to plate.
Acclaim
Cheong's honors include Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024). The recognition fits the business it names: not flashy, but noticed for getting the fundamentals right. The Bib Gourmand, in 2024, places Cheong Weng Wah among those valued for consistency and substance, for food that lands with directness. The award tracks with the kitchen’s own logic — measured, earned, and rooted in a dish that depends on exact handling of the basics.
Profile updated August 2026
FAQ
Asked of Cheong
What recognition has Cheong Weng Wah received?
Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024).
What is Cheong Weng Wah known for?
Hainanese chicken rice.
