When the Chew siblings told their superiors at the bank that they were leaving to sell chicken rice, the latter thought it was a joke.
“My big bosses actually got angry,” said 32-year-old Dave Chew. He had earlier roped his elder and younger brothers, Lincoln and Ken, into the same bank, where they became top performers in the same department and reported to the same people.
“They said, just tell me which competitor is poaching you. You don’t have to tell me stupid things like you’re going to sell chicken rice.”
Only when their bosses saw them slogging at Nam Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant did they buy it. While their disbelief is valid, so are the trio’s reasons for giving up lucrative careers to take over their father’s business – during the pandemic, no less.
To find out what they are, CNA Lifestyle spoke to Chew Chee Juai, the restaurant’s second generation owner, and his three sons.
ONE OF SINGAPORE’S OLDEST CHICKEN RICE STALLS
Nam Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant – not to be confused with a competing restaurant chain – was founded on Hainan Island by Mr Chew’s late father before finding its way to Upper Thomson in 1968. He was only six years old.