From restaurants to hawker centre - couple have no regrets making the switch

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Mr He Jia Liang, 48, and his wife Liu Pei Ling, 47, used to work in hotels and restaurants specialising in Western cuisine in their younger years.

When Mr He was retrenched in 2009, Madam Liu's aunt was coincidentally looking for someone to take over her hawker stall.

So Mr He and Madam Liu opened Wanted Western Delights at Lorong 8 Toa Payoh.

They would start preparing at 10am daily and open at noon. The stall closes at 9.30pm.

"We are on our feet for long hours each day," Madam Liu told Lianhe Zaobao.

"When working in hotels and restaurants, you have days off, annual leave and bonuses.

"But as hawkers, if we stop, the income stops."

When asked if she regretted making the career switch, Madam Liu said: "Not at all.

"But I do regret not having enough time to spend with my children.

"It's too late to switch careers now, so we just do our best to support our family."

While she wished she had spent more time with her own children, Madam Liu recognised the connection she shared with regular customers and how she had watched their children grow up.

"Some customers used to come here with their kids. Now those kids bring their own children to our stall," she said.

"We've grown together with the community and you can say we've aged together."

Wanted Western Delights offers no-frills Western dishes at affordable prices.

"Our area has a mature customer base, so the taste and price must meet the expectations of the residents," explained Madam Liu.

"We may not use premium ingredients you'd find in hotels but our focus is on serving affordable Western dishes that remind customers of home."

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