Century Bakkwa’s Shop Went Up In Flames, But They’re Already ‘Bak’ In Business

Century Bakkwa has charcoal-grilled bak kwa in Singapore

This Chinese New Year was set ablaze—quite literally—by news about Century Bakkwa. Just two days before the start of the holiday, a fire consumed the brand’s shop at Little India, where much of their bak kwa grilling took place. Owner Simbian Chua, who rose to social media fame for her candid interviews, was forced to delay some orders at the height of the bak kwa industry’s busiest season.

Here is the aftermath of the fire. It was reported that flames from the charcoal grill ignited the exhaust system, quickly engulfing the entire kitchen. Some workers sustained injuries or developed breathing difficulties. Despite the tragedy, Simbian shared that “some customers came down (to the burnt-out store) and demanded we fulfil their orders. I told them my shop caught fire, so it couldn’t be done.” While showing us what’s left of the kitchen, Simbian broke into tears at one point, so we did not press her further on what had transpired.

Yet, many customers still received their orders, a testament to the dedication of Century Bakkwa and their staff in resolving the situation. “Some bak kwa stores reached out to us and said they could help us grill our meat,” said Simbian. “Perhaps we are so united because we all come from the same industry.”

Since the fire and the subsequent viral fame, the support for Century Bakkwa has been staggering. “Usually, we don’t get so many orders once CNY starts. But after the fire, we have a 200% increase in sales,” explained Simbian. To fulfil the surge in orders, the workers volunteered to remain in Singapore instead of returning home for the New Year—a gesture that touched Simbian deeply.

Fire or no fire, Century Bakkwa’s products are excellent. The meat is high quality, neither too rubbery nor too dry, and has a pleasant smoky aroma. It’s also quite sweet—some will love that, but more health-conscious folks may find it a bit much. I let my colleague, who was involved in our best bak kwa in Singapore ranked listicle, try a piece, and he said that it would rank as high as third on the list.

If you need further reason to give Century Bakkwa a shot, Simbian left us with a little sales pitch. “We pride ourselves on the quality of our meat, and the fact that our bak kwa is fully, truly charcoal-grilled,” she said. “When you go to other stores, maybe you see the bak kwa made with a combi oven, and one or two bags of charcoal at best. You don’t see anything like our 500kg of charcoal.”

She even put these numbers into context. “Every Chinese New Year, I burn away $20k worth of charcoal. That’s the equivalent of a Birkin bag!”

For a look into the last hours of a legendary Toa Payoh stall, read our Hup Chong Yong Tau Foo feature. For a day in the life of Orchard’s first ice cream uncle, read our Uncle Chieng feature.

Address: 435 Orchard Road, B1-44, Singapore 238877
Opening hours: Daily 10:30am to 9:30pm
Tel: 9150 1855
Website

Photos taken by Marcus Neo.
This was an independent feature by Eatbook.sg.