UK boy, 14, loves Nam Kee Chicken Rice so much, spends holiday working there

As a student, school breaks typically mean downtime to relax, unwind and hang out with friends.

For Joshua Gilby, a 14-year-old from England, he chose professional experience instead, but not in a way you would imagine.

Instead of scooping ice cream at a café or helping out at a family member's office, he spent his school break waiting tables and helping in the kitchen at Nam Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant.

Loves chicken rice

In social media posts, Nam Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant shared about the experience of their former "intern".

Clad in a bright-red polo tee emblazoned with Nam Kee's logo, Gilby introduced himself as being from England in one of the videos.

He has been patronising Nam Kee since he was five.

Gilby was born in Hong Kong, and relocated to Singapore when he was one, he shared with Mothership.

He is now 14 and is a student at United World College.

His dad was from the UK and has been living in Asia for more than 30 years, while his mum is a born and bred Singaporean.

It was his mum and her family, who are regulars at Nam Kee, that influenced Josh's palate.

While his grandparents take him out to a different local restaurant each week, Nam Kee's chicken rice was what grew on Josh.

"I can't remember the first time I tried it, I was probably very young. I just know I liked it," Gilby said.

Between the tender chicken and the fragrant rice, it was hard for Josh to decide what specifically about the dish made it his favourite.

"I just love everything about it," he explained.

Recipe

His love for the dish eventually grew into a curiosity about how it's made.

"My parents joked that I would have to work here to learn it, so the idea started from there!" Gilby shared.

"Back then, I remember, every time he came, he would always ask me how to cook chicken rice," Dave Chew, one of the owners of Nam Kee, told Mothership.

Chew's father founded Nam Kee in 1968.

He shared that Gilby first approached him about joining the ranks of Nam Kee at the age of 13.

This year, Gilby's grandmother approached Chew and said that the now 14-year-old would commit to helping out at Nam Kee.

Cool summer

The 14-year-old would be at the restaurant twice a week from 5pm to 8pm during his five-week summer holiday.

Waiting tables, taking orders and preparing ingredients like bean sprouts were all part of Gilby's duties at Nam Kee.

He also got on-the-job Mandarin lessons and clearly had a ball of a summer break at Nam Kee.

"My friends thought it was cool. Some came to visit and ordered chicken rice, and others now want to work there!" Gilby reflected.

Gilby earned himself the nickname, "Mr Chicken Rice", from his friends who visited him at work.

His parents were equally supportive of his foray into the food and beverage business, being fans of Nam Kee themselves.

Under Nam Kee's Instagram post, Gilby's father left a comment thanking Nam Kee for giving Josh the opportunity to learn and praised his son for embracing it.

"It was fun. The other staff and customers were really nice, and I learnt a lot and really enjoyed it," the younger Gilby added.

For his time, Gilby got paid a few hundred dollars and got to enjoy plates of his favourite dish.

According to Chew, the 14-year-old started each work day with a plate of chicken rice.

Before he clocked off, he would also be offered to take home to his family half a chicken, some rice and various dishes, such as prawn paste chicken.

According to the Ministry of Manpower, children between the ages of 13 and 15 are allowed to work in non-industrial settings but must only perform light duties.

10/10 performance

Reviewing Josh's performance, Chew gave him a solid 10/10.

By the third day of work, Josh was able to competently take orders, had remembered the table numbers by heart and did not shy away from communicating with customers.

"The best part? He was never late for work. He would always be early," Chew added.

Watching the 14-year-old at work brought back memories for Chew, who is now 34.

"I started helping my parents out when I was 14 too, so it's very relatable when I heard that Josh wanted to work here. So, I got him to do the things I did back in the days," Chew shared.

"Looking back, he really outperformed me in many areas if I were to compare him to my 14-year-old self," the 34-year-old opined.

Family

"I literally watched him grow up and become who he is today. It's like I'm a part of his growing up, and I'm really honoured to witness his growth," Chew commented.

As Gilby and his family were his regulars, it was a "magical" feeling to have Gilby now be part of the Nam Kee family, Chew described.

As for Josh, his hustle to learn the ropes and, hopefully, the secrets to a tasty plate of chicken rice, is far from over.

To date, some of his friends still call him "Mr Chicken Rice", which he finds is a fitting nickname for him.

"I'd definitely like the opportunity to go back during a future school break," the 14-year-old said.

Top image via Nam Kee Chicken Rice