How a Singaporean Started a Chicken Rice War in Shanghai

by Siti Zawani @ 27 Nov 2015
How a Singaporean Started a Chicken Rice War in Shanghai Restaurateurs in China’s most populous and cosmopolitan city have been battling to meet demand for one of Singapore’s ubiquitous delicacies – Hainanese chicken rice. Stalls have been popping up across the city and the locals have no qualms joining long queues for a taste of the dish. And it’s all thanks to a Singaporean named Xander Ang, widely regarded as the first person to introduce the concept of a stand-alone, independent chicken rice shop to Shanghai.

Amusingly, some of these businesses have even adopted the names of some of Singapore’s most revered hawker legends. For example, there’s a Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, located along Guangdong Road, which opened in July. No, it is not affiliated to the famous stall of the same name at Maxwell Food Centre in Singapore. Rather, it is run by a 24-year-old local named Cheng Long Yuan, who previously worked at another stall named after a famous Singaporean chicken rice stall, Five Star. Up for an interesting (and slightly humorous) read? Head here: http://goo.gl/AHYHJf