We Are HKers - Irene Lee | Owner Of Sing Heung Yuen Dai Pai Dong

Irene is the owner of Sing Heung Yuen, one of Hong Kong's last and most popular dai pai dongs, nestled in the backstreets of Central. Each day, office workers, students and tourists pack the outdoor seating, feasting on Irene's famous macaroni in tomato broth, among dozens of other favourites. Despite being the owner and boss, Irene works in the kitchen alongside her staff, some of whom have been there for more than 30 years. Her sweat-soaked shirt and dirty apron, paired with her friendly and affectionate character epitomises the humble charm of Hong Kong's iconic dai pai dong. However, her stall will cease to operate with her. Irene inherited the licence for her eatery from her mother and cannot pass it on to her children.

“There’s a customer who comes here a lot. I’ve known him since he was small, and now he is 43 and married. He used to come here after school, and now he is a lawyer!”

— Irene

THE INDUSTRY

Dai pai dong literally means 'restaurant with a big licence plate' because of the larger licences they operate under. These open-air hawker eateries may be as casual as it gets in the city, but their delicious and cheap local fare keep Hongkongers and tourists coming back. From hot noodle soup to condensed milk on toast and iced lemon tea, they have been a quintessential part of Hong Kong for decades, but the government stopped issuing the licences in 1956 due to hygiene and overcrowding concerns. In the 1980s the government even offered millions of dollars to buy the licences back from vendors. Today, with fewer people choosing to continue their family businesses, the number of dai pai dong has fallen from the thousands to just a few dozen.

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【SHARED】Irene Lee | Owner Of Sing Heung Yuen Dai Pai Dong

THE INDUSTRY

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