Matriarch & 3rd-gen owner of Famous Eunos Bak Chor Mee passes away at 88

The matriarch of the Famous Eunos Bak Chor Mee chain of hawker stalls has passed away at the age of 88.

She was pivotal in maintaining the hawker chain's 102-year legacy.

The family of Tan Siu Hong took to Facebook on Nov. 11, to share news of her passing. 

A 102-year heritage

Tan is the third-generation owner of the chain.

Dating back to 1923, Tan's grandfather is regarded as the one of the first bak chor mee proprietors in Singapore, bringing the more uncommon soup-based version of the noodles to Singapore shores.

"My beloved grandmother... played an instrumental role in preserving our soup-based BCM heritage," the post wrote.

Tan taught her children and grandchildren the tricks of the hawker trade.

She was also pivotal in expanding the business.

She established two stalls at Upper Changi Road and Eunos Crescent in the late 1980s. 

"Her dedication, sacrifice, and selflessness ultimately paved the way for the birth of the brand."

While the Upper Changi Road stall closed in 2022, the stall at Eunos is still operated by her daughter and grandson today. 

The franchise is currently run by fifth-generation hawker, Ler Jie Wei, 39, with four outlets at:

• 7 Eunos Crescent, Hong Lee
• 106 Hougang Ave 1, 106 Food Alliance
• 204 Bedok North St 1, Chang Sheng
• ION Level B4, Hawker's Street

Top photo from Famous Eunos Bak Chor Mee/Facebook and Lih Chau Tan/Google Maps