STARTED HIS BUSINESS FROM A PUSHCART
Tan started working from a young age, having quit school after his father passed away to help his mother run her food cart. Mother-and-son sold nyonya kueh and glutinous rice in Tiong Bahru, which they cooked on a charcoal stove.
“Life was tough and harsh but without a word of complaint, rain or shine, he supported his mother to make ends meet,” the post detailed, adding that Tan occasionally had to flee from health inspectors with his pushcart.
He later moved his operations to Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre, where he expanded his kueh repertoire. In 2014, Tan’s son Alan and daughter-in-law Sharon Goh parlayed his hawker brand into a cafe chain by opening a Peranakan eatery named HarriAnns Nonya Table outside Bugis Junction.