New Horse Noodles will close its operations at the Chinatown Complex Food Centre on Oct. 25. Brothers Scott and Troy Lee decided to shut the stall after five months of business because the lifestyle of a hawker is not what they want, 8days reported.
The siblings transitioned from corporate finance roles to sell handmade Hakka yong tau foo and Malaysian-style noodles. Scott Lee, 29, previously worked as a fintech product manager, while Troy Lee, 31, worked as a trader.
Finance careers traded for 70-hour work weeks
The brothers invested approximately $20,000 of their own savings into the venture. This move resulted in a significant drop in income and a sharp increase in labor. Scott stated he was likely earning less than minimum wage during his time at the stall.
Daily operations required roughly 70 hours of work per week. The brothers noted that even their single day off was spent preparing food for the following business day.
Did you know? Scott Lee previously earned between $5,000 and $10,000 a month in his fintech role before switching to the food industry.
Malaysian recipes brought to Chinatown Complex
The venture began after the siblings started food blogging. Their research led them to an 85-year-old Hakka hawker in Malacca, where they trained for 10 days to learn her specific yong tau foo recipe.
They combined these handmade pieces with Malaysian-style dry noodles, a dish they had frequently traveled across the Causeway to eat. The stall’s signature Handmade Hakka Yong Tau Foo Set, priced at $6.50, featured stuffed tofu, tau pok, tau kee, and bitter gourd.
Timeline for final orders at New Horse Noodles
The stall is located at #02-148 Chinatown Complex Food Centre (Red Zone). It operates Saturday through Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and remains closed on Thursdays and Fridays.
Customers intending to visit before the Oct. 25 closure are advised by the brothers to arrive before 1:00 p.m. Scott Lee stated that the pair is still deciding on their next professional move and will provide updates via their vlogs.
Pro tip: The stall’s signature dry noodles are tossed in sesame oil and dark soy sauce, served with minced pork and pork lard.
Questions about the New Horse Noodles closure
Why did the brothers decide to close the stall?
Scott Lee told 8days that the decision was based on the fact that the hawker lifestyle is not what they really want.
How much did the brothers invest in the business?
The siblings invested about $20,000 of their personal savings into the startup.
Where did the recipes for the food originate?
The yong tau foo recipe was learned from an 85-year-old hawker in Malacca after a 10-day training period.
The final day of operations is Oct. 25.
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