Ask a Singaporean to describe a curry puff, and you’ll probably get an answer immediately. Ask a Londoner, though, and you might get an empanada, pasty, dumpling or even an apple pie.
That’s what Old Chang Kee UK set out to test in a now-viral street interview video posted on TikTok and Instagram on 19 August 2026. The team took a curry puff out onto the streets of London and asked passers-by to guess what it was, with the unfamiliar shape and golden pastry prompting plenty of creative guesses.
Things got even more amusing once they were invited to take a bite. Some managed to pick up on the curry flavours, while others were still trying to work out exactly what they were eating before the big reveal that it was a chicken and potato curry puff. The resulting mix of surprise and curiosity is what makes the video so fun to watch.
According to Old Chang Kee UK director Sandra Leong, who spoke to MS News, the video was filmed in July as part of the brand’s ongoing street-interview content. Sandra has a personal connection to the brand, too. Born in Singapore, she moved to London in her 20s before leaving her corporate career to bring Old Chang Kee to the UK. She now runs the London business in partnership with the Singaporean brand, which first set up shop there in 2018.
Today, Old Chang Kee has outlets in Covent Garden and Liverpool Street, alongside a delivery-only kitchen in Bermondsey. Sandra told MS News that the London outlets attract plenty of local British diners, alongside tourists and Singaporeans and Malaysians craving a taste of home.
A Signature Chicken Curry Puff at Old Chang Kee UK goes for £4.25 a piece, compared with roughly S$2 for the standard version back home. Some of that price gap has historically been attributed to its size, with the London version previously reported to be noticeably larger than the Singapore original.
Image credit: Old Chang Kee UK’
From a humble stall along Mackenzie Road to outlets in the heart of London, Old Chang Kee has certainly come a long way. It’s pretty cool to see a quintessentially Singaporean snack make its way overseas and find an audience of its own.
We’re not sure Londoners are ready to replace their pasties with curry puffs just yet, but judging from the video, there’s definitely some curiosity around Singapore’s beloved snack. And honestly, we can get behind that.
In other exciting food news, Yamamoto’s Hamburg is opening in Singapore with Japan-famous hamburg steaks! If you’re crossing the causeway instead, check out our 2-day JB food itinerary, which includes cafes and thrifting.
Covent Garden outlet
Address: 15a New Row, London WC2N 4PD, United Kingdom
Opening hours: Sun-Tue 11am to 8pm, Wed-Sat 11am to 9pm
Boxhall City outlet
Address: 1-27, The Arcade, Liverpool St, London EC2M 7PN, United Kingdom
Opening hours: Mon-Tue 10am to 9pm, Wed-Fri 10am to 10pm, Sat 11am to 10pm, Sun 11am to 8pm
Website
Old Chang Kee London is halal-certified.
Featured image adapted from Cee Dupree via Google Maps
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