i. Biography
The Path
The work of Hokkien-style bak chang at Hoo Kee Bak Chang has stayed in the family for three generations, with Ryk Chew taking over in 2010 after 12 years as an engineer at a telecommunications company. That shift is less about reinvention than transfer: one discipline replaced by another, with the same attention to repetition, timing, and control. At Amoy Street Food Centre in Singapore, the stall has been serving bak chang for 70 years, and Chew’s role sits inside that continuity.
The Work Today
At Hoo Kee Bak Chang, the craft is defined by preservation as much as production. Ryk Chew’s work as third-generation owner keeps the stall fixed to its long-running place at Amoy Street Food Centre, where Hokkien-style bak chang remains the focus. In a family business that has lasted across decades, the daily task is to hold the line on a known product and keep the stall legible to the customers who return for it.
Signature
Hokkien bak chang is the signature attached to Ryk Chew and Hoo Kee Bak Chang. The dish carries the stall’s identity in direct form: a family line expressed through a single, recognisable preparation. Within that frame, the signature functions as continuity, not novelty.
Recognition
Ryk Chew has received MICHELIN Guide, Bib Gourmand (2024).
Profile updated August 2026
FAQ
Asked of Ryk
Where did Ryk Chew work before?
Ryk Chew's earlier career included telecommunications company.
What recognition has Ryk Chew received?
Bib Gourmand (2024).
