Bukit Panjang BBQ stall owner, 71, dies in his sleep 3 months after closing stall of 22 years

The owner of a long-running BBQ stall in Bukit Panjang has died in his sleep, just over three months after closing the business he had run for more than 30 years.

Chua Leong Quay died on Aug. 23 at the age of 71, according to Shin Min Daily News.

His stall, 163 Ikan Bakar BBQ, had operated for 22 years at Blk 163 Gangsa Road before closing on May 10 this year.

Shin Min cited rising costs as the reason for closure.

On medication for a heart condition but overall in good health

His wife of 40 years shared that while Chua was diagnosed with a heart issue more than a decade ago, he had been on medication and was in good health.

After closing their stall at Blk 163, Chua also helped sell chicken cutlets at a night market in Sembawang, his wife shared. However, he wanted to stop working there at the end of August.

Chua was supposed to head to Sembawang for work on the day he passed.

At 10am, his wife noticed he was in bed later than usual, but she didn’t think much of it.

She only sensed something was amiss when she asked him what he wanted for lunch.

"When I touched him, he was already cold,” she shared.

A good husband

Chua's wife told Shin Min that Chua was a good husband. While he's not perfect, he had not ever raised his voice at her and they had learnt to live with each other's shortcomings.

The couple knew each other since young and grew up together in Bukit Panjang. They had a son and a daughter.

The family made a trip to Taiwan in June but Chua did not follow along.

Chua's daughter told Shin Min that she had planned to bring the family to Taiwan again in October, this time with Chua.

More than just a stall

Chua's wife shared that the BBQ stall is more than just a shop to them -- it's their second home where bonds were forged.

Many people reached out after they closed the stall at Blk 163 and the couple had hope to reopen elsewhere.

Just a week before Chua's passing, he asked about the stall at Blk 163 and said he missed it very much.

Chua learnt how to make and sell BBQ dishes from a relative in the 1980s.

The couple began selling grilled dishes in 1989 at Block 378 Clementi Avenue 5, before moving to the Gangsa Road stall in 2004.

The couple had been scouting coffee shops around Clementi, hoping to return to where they first started, but no units were available.

The family thanked everyone for the support during this difficult time.

"We take deep comfort in knowing how much he loved his craft and how many lives he touched," they shared on 163 Ikan Bakar BBQ Facebook page.