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Nam Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant has always been more than just a quick stop for lunch.

For the three Chew brothers -- Lincoln, Dave, and Ken -- and their loyal customers, it's home.

Their grandfather, Chew Nam Peng, set up a chicken rice shop along Upper Thomson Road in 1968 with the sole mission of bringing the flavours of his birthplace Hainan island to Singapore.

Now, over 60 years later, his grandsons are ensuring his dream lives on.

Taking the leap

When Nam Kee's second generation owner Chew Tee Heang announced that he was going to sell the shop, it nearly gave his three sons a heart attack.

According to his eldest son Lincoln Chew, the 61-year-old simply came up one day with a cheque for the shop and said, "I'm going to cash this in and retire."

Having grown up with the business, the brothers made the unanimous decision to quit their jobs, take over the shop, and save their family business from falling into a stranger's hands.

All three brothers previously worked in banking.

To their colleagues and bosses, leaving their high-paying jobs to sell chicken rice was certifiably insane.

Lincoln said:

"The amount of money we were earning at that time outperformed people at our age — even some people in their 40s. And once you leave banking, it's very hard to find another job that pays so well."

That wasn't the half of it.

The brothers officially took over the store during 2021, also known as the Covid-19 era.

They went from being highfliers in one of the most lucrative industries to working in F&B — a sector struggling to stay afloat.

To the Chews, however, blood was thicker than money.

"There was no hesitation," said Dave. "It was just something we were born with and needed to take on."

And so, the brothers jumped right in and there was no looking back.

Tradition vs progress

Tee Heang is a man of tradition.

Finding comfort in being able to oversee everything from cooking to serving, he did things quite literally by the book, recording all his orders on paper.

"Everything has to be done by him — the cooking of rice, the chicken. He always thought that if he was out sick for a day, the shop wouldn't run. He didn't even want to do any deliveries or expand because he was afraid he couldn't handle the excessive workload."

His resistance against utilising technology left his sons with a blank slate.

"You know how the second generation manages a business, right? There's no statistics at all," said Lincoln.

"Entering the industry, we didn't even know our operating costs or our suppliers."

It was also a learning curve for Tee Heang.

For someone used to "micro-managing", Lincoln continued, "it was definitely hard for our father to let go."

The second generation owner needn't have worried though, as the changes championed by his sons, such as a point of sale (POS) system and more division of labour, only made the business more competitive and efficient.

One thing left untouched was the restaurant's interior.

Up till today, the store remains a portal to the 1960s.

Step through the humble store front and you'll be greeted with marble tables, old-fashioned booths and tiled walls and floors marked by age.

Far from appearing outdated, however, the place makes for a homey refuge from the hustle and bustle of modern city life.

"We wanted to keep the nostalgic vibe of the place," said Dave.

Working with family

Although the brothers had already been working together in the bank, selling chicken rice has brought all generations of the Chew clan even closer.

"We understand how we each think, and the rest is all about communication."

The younger Chews also respect Tee Heang's experience.

"He now gives us advice instead of stopping us. We don't seek his advice just because he's our father, but because we believe it's good advice."

Despite having had many heated debates with their father over things like automating orders and letting employees handle more of the workload, the Chew brothers noted that challenges like these are their favourite part of their job.

"Once we're able to solve a problem, the sense of accomplishment is something money cannot buy," stated Lincoln.

Chicken rice = home

After all these years, the Chews are still not tired of chicken rice.

That's because to them, it's more than just food — it's childhood and family.

Since they were young and lived above the bustling shop, people have always known them as "the chicken rice uncle's sons".

"I have friends telling me that if they don't know what to eat, they'll eat chicken rice. Chicken rice will always be there," Dave said.

The dish built bridges across the different generations.

"It's very common for us to hear something like, 'Oh, I know this place because my grandfather used to bring me. Now I'm also a father so I bring my son. It's more than the food that they're coming back for, it's the good memories — childhood memories. People come here and feel like they've come home."

The Nam Kee factor

According to the brothers, the "It" factor in Nam Kee chicken rice comes from its consistency and quality.

Forgoing the convenience of ready-made products, the family prides themselves on making their food from scratch.

For instance, the chilli sauce recipe passed down from Tee Heang.

The proof is in the seeds, Dave said.

"Stores that have factory suppliers have machineries that remove the seeds. When we grind the chilli ourselves, it's almost impossible to remove them."

In looking to expand their brand overseas soon, the brothers revealed that they have uncovered a surefire way to maintain this same high standards across the board.

We can't tell you though, obviously it's a secret.

All images by Ethan Ong