Bourdain Hawker Centre Set to Open in NYC

A New York ‘hawker centre’ conceived by Anthony Bourdain and Singapore street food champion KF Seetoh has been been given the go-ahead, and may open in early 2022.

The project had stalled in 2017 due to leasing issues, however, the way now looks clear for the centre to open next year.

Seetoh wrote in a Facebook post: "Waited eight years for this (since Bourdain tapped me in 2013 at our World Street Food Congress in SG with a 'I want you to help me build my Bourdain Market in NYC')... a celebration of what Bourdain did even for our UNESCO Hawkers. This is our hawkers' Noah's Ark headed for Times Square, New York and onwards to the world.”

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So far, Seetoh has got 18 Singapore hawkers for the New York food hall, which will bring authentic Singapore flavours to New York City's Midtown area, near Times Square. New Yorkers will be able to enjoy street food favourites such as chilli crab, oyster omelette and nasi lemak.

The centre will also include notable hawker names such as Ah Tai Hainanese Chicken Rice, which famously served Bourdain his first taste of the iconic dish at Maxwell Food Centre; and chilli crab by Chris Hooi, by the family credited with creating the dish and Fishball Story with its famous fishball noodles.

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Has Michelin's Affair with Singapore's Hawkers Stalled?

Should the Michelin Guide continue to award stars to Singapore's hawker stalls? Do Singaporeans really care what the Red Guide says about their favourite street food? Singaporean food writer Evelyn Chen shares her point of view.

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Has Michelin's Affair with Singapore's Hawkers Stalled?

Bourdain was a famous champion of Singapore hawker culture and started a wave of global recognition that saw both UNESCO and the Michelin Guide recognise the culinary heritage of the street food tradition.

This original concept for the Bourdain Market was to be a vast 100-stall food hall at Pier 57, however the current project is much scaled-back.