A S’pore Hawker Stall in New York’s Urban Hawker is Closing Down

Remember the hype in Singapore and New York when our favourite burger joint, Ashes Burnnit, went from a small spot at Golden Mile Landmark to the Big Apple?

Sadly, after a year of operations, the Singaporean burger chain had to say goodbye to its New York location at the end of September 2023.

Beginnings of Urban Hawker and Ashes Burnnit

If you’re new to Urban Hawker, here’s a quick rundown. 

Urban Hawker is the first-ever Singapore-style hawker centre in New York that opened its doors on 28 September 2022, near Times Square in Manhattan.

This visionary concept was initially discussed with the late chef Anthony Bourdain and brought to life by Makansutra founder KF Seetoh. 

Urban Hawker serves as a bustling food hall, hosting 17 carefully curated vendors, one of which was Ashes Burnnit. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by AshesBurnnit NYC (@ashesburnnitnyc)

Ashes Burnnit is known for its charcoal bun burgers, mouthwatering offerings like mac and cheese, and Western grilled delights like lamb chop and chicken cutlet.

While Urban Hawker thrives, Ashes Burnnit boasts six successful outlets in Singapore. 

They have outlets at Golden Mile Food Centre, Alexandra Village Food Centre, Bedok South, Woodlands North Plaza, Ang Mo Kio Broadway, and Teck Whye Lane.

Ashes Burnnit Closed Due to Difficulty Obtaining Work Visas for Employees 

According to Berita Harian, Lee Syafiq Muhd Ridzuan Lee, the owner of Ashes Burnnit, was compelled to shut down their New York stall despite having a promising start and receiving great reviews during the first three months of its opening. 

The decision to close the stall was driven by several challenges in their daily operations, particularly the hurdles in securing work visas for their employees.

For instance, while some of their Singaporean staff managed to secure temporary work visas (visa category B-1), they faced difficulties obtaining permanent ones.

According to the United States Department of the Interior’s official website, the visa in question permits individuals to engage in consultations, attend conferences, and negotiate contracts but strictly prohibits individuals from working in the United States.

Higher Operational Costs in New York

Another significant factor in the decision was the considerably higher operational costs. 

Syafiq pointed out that running the New York stall incurred costs approximately 1.5 times higher than running a similar operation in Singapore. A cook’s salary could surpass US$4,000 (S$5,361) monthly, post-tax, in New York, whereas it averages around S$2,300 in Singapore. 

Managing operations concurrently in Singapore and New York, with a 13-hour time difference, is another formidable challenge he grapples with.

Despite these obstacles, Syafiq said he had no regrets about venturing into the New York market, citing it as a valuable learning experience in entrepreneurship. 

He sees it as a moment to reevaluate and refocus on their six existing outlets in Singapore.

This endeavour also provided invaluable insights into establishing overseas businesses and managing a workforce coming from different backgrounds. Syafiq hopes to leverage this experience and relaunch a New York stall in early 2024.

Authentic Singaporean Hawker Food in New York City

While Ashes Burnnit has bid farewell to Urban Hawker, other hawker stalls remain resilient in the bustling New York City food scene.

In September, our Second Minister for Education and Foreign Affairs, Maliki Osman, recently delved into the city’s hawker food landscape. 

During his visit to New York for the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, Minister Maliki Osman embarked on a food adventure at Urban Hawker, where he indulged in a diverse array of hawker delights, accumulating a bill exceeding S$250.

This raised eyebrows among many, given the relatively high prices associated with these street food offerings in New York—often three to four times more than what you’d typically pay in Singapore. 

For instance, a cup of teh tarik was priced at US$6 (S$8.20), while two plates of satay with 12 satay sticks came for US$40 (S$54.63).