A Singapore Airlines (SIA) stewardess left her job to pursue a career as a hawker stall owner.

Cherry Kiang, 29, started gaining traction on TikTok after collating her experiences as a hawker stall owner two months prior.

Together with 36-year-old Duncan Hsu, the couple duo run "Kiang Kiang Taiwan Teppanyaki", a Woodlands hawker stall that opened in May 2024 and specialises in Taiwanese hotplate dishes.

Shares her experience on TikTok

Through snappy videos, Kiang showed aspects of hawker life to her audience, including prepping food beforehand and operational problems they run into.

She also applies a dash of humour in her videos, such as dramatically juxtaposing the expectations versus the reality of a hawker couple arriving to work together.

@cherrykiang童话里都是骗人的 💔♬ Fun Fun Fun Fun Fun Fun - Parry Gripp

The difference between the perception of the glamorous life of an SIA stewardess compared to the not-so-glamorous one of a hawker stall owner is perhaps what piques the curiosity of many viewers online.

Another video of hers, titled, "think we just got 'cheated' by our supplier", has over 1.7 million views.

@cherrykiangcheat my feelings 😭♬ original sound - CHERRYKIANG

Kiang told Hungrygowhere she chose to pursue a hawker career, as her husband, who is an ex-hotel chef from Taiwan, had always wanted to run his own stall.

However, as it's difficult to manage everything alone, Kiang decided to step in to support her husband.

Similarities between a stewardess and hawker stall owner

She also said there are a lot of similarities between a stewardess and a hawker stall owner.

For instance, the hours are similarly long.

Both jobs also require one to stand most of the time and interact with customers, so Kiang said her cabin crew training came in handy.

However, there are also other differences that Kiang has to adapt to, such as linking up with suppliers, ensuring operations run smoothly, and monitoring the numbers.

Ultimately, Kiang said the experience has been very rewarding, adding, “I think the hawker journey has been way more than I expected!”

Address: Block 325 Woodlands Street 32, Singapore 730325

Opening hours: 11am–2 pm, 5pm–8pm, all days except Tuesdays

Top image via @kiangkiangsg/Instagram and @cherrykiang/TikTok.