Singapore hawkers highlight generational challenge to famed culinary traditions

There he was on a Thursday night, Rolex watch on wrist, decked in office wear, frying up a batch of noodles. This was Tan Kue Kim, known in Singapore as the "Rolex mee master." (Mee is a term for noodles in Singapore and Malaysia).

Tan's signature dish was seafood-infused Hokkien mee, a calorie-laden, wok-fried Chinese dish served with a spoonful of sambal (chili paste) for extra heat. I ate dinner there often, and while I questioned the wisdom of wearing a luxury timepiece in a greasy kitchen, I never questioned Tan's cooking.