Forget the cliches about the surly hawker. At zi char stalwart Keng Eng Kee Seafood (also known as KEK Seafood), an unassuming casual eatery that serves home-styled Chinese dishes on the ground floor of a housing block in Bukit Merah — and more recently, at Safra Tampines — good service with a ready smile is a given.
In fact, Paul Liew — one of three third-generation siblings helming the family business — says a friendly greeting is “standard operating procedure” for the crew. To go the extra mile, he challenges his staff to make customers feel like they are being welcomed into a home.
“Hospitality is about how we relate to the public and our regulars,” says Liew, who is in charge of business development. A familiar face at the Bukit Merah outlet, the 42-year-old often drops by to ensure things are running smoothly and always has time for a chat with customers.
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Liew was a finalist at this year’s Singapore Tourism Awards for Customer Service Excellence for F&B — a rare occasion when a representative from a casual food establishment went up against those from hotels and restaurant groups. He adds that this is a source of motivation and that his approach to hospitality is on the right track.
“I always tell my team to treat customers the way they would like to be treated and that we have to be flexible to make the whole experience better.” For instance, even when the restaurant is fully booked during peak hours, if diners show up without a reservation, they will do their best to accommodate them.
“If there is an elderly person in the group, offer them a chair first,” he adds. “People come for good food, but for them to be repeat customers, there has to be a feel-good element.”
I always tell my team to treat customers the way they would like to be treated and that we have to be flexible to make the whole experience better.” For instance, even when the restaurant is fully booked during peak hours, if diners show up without a reservation, they will do their best to accommodate them
Paul Liew, Keng Eng Kee Seafood
Keeping family traditions alive
As KEK Seafood devotees know, the staff take pains to remember their regulars’ favourite dishes — a heartwarming tradition that was started by Liew’s grandmother, who founded the eatery in 1970.
Today, he has expanded on the older generations’ concept of customer service by ensuring that travellers and foreigners feel equally welcome at the eatery.
“We ask them questions to find out about their food preferences before offering recommendations. If they want something uniquely Singapore, there is chilli crab. If they are interested in an “exotic” dish with a 50-year history, we will recommend the claypot liver,” he adds. The signature dish is cooked a la minute in a piping hot claypot with onions, ginger, and shallots, resulting in earthy and rustic flavours.
Growing up, Paul often pitched in at the eatery on weekends with his two younger siblings. By the time he was in university, he had developed such an affection for the business that even though their parents never wanted them to take over the backbreaking work of running an F&B business, he “officially” joined KEK Seafood after graduating with a degree in business in 2008. His brother Wayne is the executive chef, while younger sister Jia Min is the head of operations.
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A go-to hangout spot for chefs
Due to Liew’s rapport with the chef and foodie community, KEK Seafood has become a go-to hangout among the close-knit community of local chefs. Frequent visitors include chefs Han Li Guang of Labyrinth, Jason Tan of Euphoria, and Malcolm Lee of Candlenut and Pangium.
“Although we may “compete” for the same group of customers, we are comrades. We have built friendships over the years because we want each other to survive, so we talk about business and help each other improve,” he says. Regular orders include the deep-fried soon hock topped with a sauce concocted from pork lard, soy, and oyster sauce, and the silky smooth moonlight hor fun.
Homegrown chefs also bring their visiting counterparts from abroad to the restaurant for local fare. Some have become regulars; the co-founders of famed Bangkok restaurant Le Du are so close to the family they even call Liew’s parents ‘papa’ and ‘mama’, says Liew with a laugh. Testament to its popularity among chefs, the heartland restaurant was an official after-party venue for this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards.
Reviving old recipes
While Liew is on the lookout for opportunities to expand the business, he is most fired up about reviving time-honoured recipes from his father’s era. Details are scant for now, but he hopes to launch a standalone dining concept next year.
With his eyes lighting up, he says, “The old-school chefs still meet my dad for drinks, and they always start talking about the dishes they used to cook. I hope to create a platform where they can showcase old recipes with pride and passion in a modern way to the next generation of food lovers.”
