‘Pure joy’: Singaporean serves free food in heartland every month to bring people together

Photojournalist Ngoh Shian Bang has hosted six Kampung Soup Kitchen gatherings since May, including a pizza party at The Chop Community in Yishun on Sept 19.

Published Sep 27, 2026, 12:00 PM

Updated Sep 27, 2026, 12:00 PM

Ngoh Shian Bang organises monthly free food events in Singapore heartlands to connect neighbours and revive the kampung spirit, spending about $2,800 from his savings since May.

The events attract diverse participants who bond over high-quality meals like pizza and soups, supported by volunteers and local Resident Networks.

Ngoh aims to expand the project nationwide, sharing his experience openly while valuing the joy and community over government funding or recognition.

SINGAPORE – On a quiet Saturday afternoon at a Yishun HDB void deck, small talk bounced among a handful of youth lounging around picnic mats and mahjong tables. Most were strangers who hoped to connect, but the ice was taking time to break.

Then a bubbling cheese pizza was whisked from an oven in a makeshift kitchen at their gathering spot, and the awkwardness melted away. People rose with smiles and chatter, converging over the one thing they now had in common: good food.

Behind the kitchen counter was 31-year-old Ngoh Shian Bang, who had organised this pizza party on Sept 19 with The Chop Community, a space for youth at Chong Pang Zone 7 Residents’ Network at 287 Yishun Avenue 6.

The event was the sixth community gathering that Ngoh had organised since May, under a project known as Kampung Soup Kitchen. The concept is simple: Cook and serve free food, so people can gather over a meal, recreating the kampung spirit of old.

Young and old alike turned up at the first Kampung Soup Kitchen on May 30, where Ngoh served two kinds of soups. PHOTO: TOV.IE/INSTAGRAM

Young and old alike turned up at the first Kampung Soup Kitchen on May 30, where Ngoh served two kinds of soups.

PHOTO: TOV.IE/INSTAGRAM

Most of the food and preparation costs are borne by Ngoh, who is also a full-time Lianhe Zaobao photojournalist. He has spent about $2,800 of his savings on the cause.

The young man sports a bandana beneath a head of curls and a spunky attitude. He told The Straits Times: “I like seeing people happy, and maybe I can make the world a little less lonely.”

He never expected his first event on May 30 to go viral online. He whipped up clear chicken broth and spiced pumpkin and carrot soup, and served them for free to about 50 strangers at the void deck underneath his Tampines flat.

What started as one man’s idea has since grown into a monthly community project, with various Residents’ Networks in Tampines and Yishun providing him with free venues, and volunteers helping with cooking and service. The menu has also evolved beyond soup to include ice cream, pizza, barbecued meat and satay.

Volunteer Solomon Kang, 47, grates cheese for a participant at the sixth edition of Kampung Soup Kitchen, a pizza party at The Chop Community held at 287 Yishun Ave 6. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

Volunteer Solomon Kang, 47, grates cheese for a participant at the sixth edition of Kampung Soup Kitchen, a pizza party at The Chop Community held at 287 Yishun Ave 6.

Ngoh reckoned that people resonated with the events because “it speaks to something deeper for them – the sense of yearning for neighbourhood”.

Modern society is more interconnected with social media and technology, but ironically, people feel lonelier, said Ngoh. He described feeling detached in Singapore as communal events seemed to dwindle over time.

He was drawn to how food can bridge social divides, pointing out that even people who routinely disagree can still concur on the quality of a chicken rice stall.

So, he chose this way of pushing against the tide.

Ngoh preparing a truffle cream, mushroom and crispy kale pizza at The Chop Community on Sept 19. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

Ngoh preparing a truffle cream, mushroom and crispy kale pizza at The Chop Community on Sept 19.

Food at his events is no amateur fare. Ngoh graduated from hospitality school Shatec in 2015, before pursuing his other passion in photography.

In his own words, he is “no stranger to strangers”. He has hosted couch-surfers from far-flung lands and creative professionals alike around the dining table of his five-room flat, where he lives with his parents.

The idea of cooking for the wider community came in 2025 after he joined a Telegram group for people to socialise in Singapore. He sought private spaces that could fit about 50 people, but found that they cost about $800 for four hours.

Then he heard that someone had hosted a potluck at a Housing Board void deck. “That was a eureka moment for me,” he said. “We use it for funerals. We use it for weddings. So, why not beyond (these purposes)?”

Ngoh wrote to his town council and got approval to rent the space for $50. It came with electrical and water points. He brought chairs and foldable tables from his flat to create a living room of sorts. The total cost, including ingredients, came to $89.

Youth converged around mahjong tables and card games at a community space within a Yishun HDB void deck on Sept 19, hoping to connect with someone new. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

Youth converged around mahjong tables and card games at a community space within a Yishun HDB void deck on Sept 19, hoping to connect with someone new.

He recalled the amazement of seeing people from all walks of life organically strike up conversations while cradling bowls of soup.

Initially, he was worried about neighbours’ complaints. But the response was overwhelmingly positive, with the only concerns being about food hygiene. He has since acquired a food-safety certificate to allay those fears.

What does he get out of doing this?

“Happiness, lah . Pure joy in seeing people being well-fed,” he said without missing a beat.

Position of privilege

Preparing food for these events usually takes several days. Ngoh creates the menu, buys the ingredients and cooks from scratch. For the Sept 19 pizza party, he split the food costs with The Chop Community.

On that day, Ngoh and a group of volunteers laboured over pizza dough and bowls of chopped toppings. They fed about 90 people that day with seven kinds of Neapolitan pizza, including cheese and hot honey; truffle cream, mushroom and crispy kale; and sweet pistachio, brie and honey.

Abel Fam (left), community manager of The Chop Community, and Ngoh share a lighthearted moment at the pizza party they organised together. They served seven kinds of Neapolitan pizza that day. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

Abel Fam (left), community manager of The Chop Community, and Ngoh share a lighthearted moment at the pizza party they organised together. They served seven kinds of Neapolitan pizza that day.

Among those at the event was Kong Shihui, 35, a product designer at a start-up, who enjoyed how people started spontaneous conversations as the food and drinks flowed.

“That kind of curiosity and openness is quite refreshing. I haven’t experienced that in a while,” she said.

(From left) Volunteers including Shaun Ng, The Chop Community's community manager Abel Fam, founder of ground-up initiative Food for Soul, Solomon Kang, and Ngoh fed about 90 people at the pizza party on Sept 19. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

(From left) Volunteers including Shaun Ng, The Chop Community's community manager Abel Fam, founder of ground-up initiative Food for Soul, Solomon Kang, and Ngoh fed about 90 people at the pizza party on Sept 19.

The initiative has drawn the attention of grassroots leaders. Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo, who is also an MP for Tampines GRC, mingled with residents at Ngoh’s barbecue party at Sun Plaza Park on Aug 30.

Government agencies have told Ngoh he can apply for funding. Though he is open to the idea, he is hesitant about tying his project to grant proposals and key performance indicators.

Besides, he believes taxpayers should not pay for his personal “hobby” while he still has the means to fund it. “I’m in a privileged position to do this,” he said.

His goal is to bring Kampung Soup Kitchen to every Residents’ Network in Singapore. People have also asked him if they can replicate the idea in their neighbourhoods, and he readily shares tips with them.

“I’d like to think that I still am a nobody,” said Ngoh. “Anyone can do this if they want to.”

Christine Tan is a correspondent at The Straits Times reporting on social affairs and issues of justice in Singapore.

摄影记者吴显邦自五月以来已举办了六次甘榜施粥厨房聚会，其中包括 9 月 19 日在义顺 The Chop Community 举办的披萨派对。

发布于 2026 年 9 月 27 日下午 12:00

更新于2026年9月27日中午12:00

Ngoh Shian Bang 每月在新加坡邻里中心地带组织免费美食活动，以促进邻里交流，重振甘榜精神。自 5 月以来，他已花费了约 2800 美元的积蓄。

这些活动吸引了形形色色的参与者，他们在志愿者和当地居民网络的支持下，享用披萨和汤等高品质餐食，并以此增进彼此之间的友谊。

Ngoh 计划将该项目推广到全国，公开分享他的经验，同时重视快乐和社区，而不是政府的资助或认可。

新加坡——在一个宁静的周六下午，义顺组屋楼下的空地上，几个年轻人围坐在野餐垫和麻将桌旁，闲聊着。他们大多互不相识，都希望能结识彼此，但打破隔阂却需要时间。

这时，一块热气腾腾的芝士披萨从临时厨房的烤箱里端了出来，烤架就搭在他们聚会的地点。尴尬的气氛顿时烟消云散。人们面带笑容，边走边聊，围聚在一起，享受着他们现在唯一的共同点：美食。

厨房柜台后面是 31 岁的 Ngoh Shian Bang，他于 9 月 19 日与 The Chop Community（位于义顺 6 道 287 号 Chong Pang Zone 7 居民网络的青年空间）组织了这场披萨派对。

这是吴女士自五月以来组织的第六次社区聚会，该项目名为“甘榜汤厨房”。其理念很简单：烹饪并提供免费食物，让人们可以聚在一起用餐，重现昔日甘榜的精神。

5月30日，老少咸宜的人们齐聚首间甘榜汤厨房，吴女士当天供应了两种汤品。照片：TOV.IE/INSTAGRAM

5月30日，老少咸宜的第一家甘榜施粥厨房开业，吴先生在那里提供了两种汤。

图片来源：TOV.IE/INSTAGRAM

大部分食物和准备费用都由吴先生承担，他同时也是《联合早报》的全职摄影记者。他为此花费了自己大约2800美元的积蓄。

这位年轻人头戴头巾，一头卷发，神态活泼。他告诉《海峡时报》：“我喜欢看到人们快乐，也许我可以让这个世界少一些孤独。”

他从未想到自己5月30日举办的第一次活动会在网上爆红。他熬制了清鸡汤和香料南瓜胡萝卜汤，并在他位于淡滨尼的组屋楼下免费提供给大约50位陌生人。

最初只是一个人的想法，如今已发展成为一个每月一次的社区项目。淡滨尼和义顺的各个居民网络为他提供免费场地，志愿者们也帮忙烹饪和服务。菜单也从最初的汤品扩展到了冰淇淋、披萨、烤肉和沙爹等。

47岁的志愿者Solomon Kang在位于义顺6道287号的The Chop Community举办的第六届Kampung Soup Kitchen披萨派对上，为一位参与者刨奶酪丝。（海峡时报摄影：GIN TAY）

47 岁的志愿者 Solomon Kang 在第六届 Kampung Soup Kitchen 披萨派对上为一位参与者刨丝奶酪，该派对在义顺 6 道 287 号的 The Chop Community 举行。

Ngoh认为，人们之所以对这些事件产生共鸣，是因为“它触动了他们内心深处的情感——对邻里的渴望”。

吴先生表示，现代社会与社交媒体和科技的联系日益紧密，但讽刺的是，人们反而感到更加孤独。他形容在新加坡，随着集体活动的减少，人们感到与社会脱节。

他被食物如何弥合社会分歧所吸引，指出即使是经常意见不合的人，也可能对鸡饭摊的品质达成共识。

所以，他选择了这种逆流而上的方式。

9月19日，Ngoh在The Chop Community餐厅制作松露奶油蘑菇脆羽衣甘蓝披萨。（海峡时报摄影：GIN TAY）

9 月 19 日，Ngoh 在 The Chop Community 准备松露奶油、蘑菇和脆羽衣甘蓝披萨。

他举办的活动上的餐饮绝非业余水平。Ngoh 于 2015 年毕业于新加坡酒店管理学院 (Shatec)，之后又投身于他另一项热爱的摄影事业。

用他自己的话说，他“对陌生人并不陌生”。他曾在自己与父母居住的五居室公寓的餐桌旁，接待过来自遥远国度的沙发客和创意专业人士。

2025年，他加入了一个新加坡的社交Telegram群组，由此萌生了为更广泛的社区烹饪的想法。他想找能容纳50人左右的私人场地，但发现四个小时的费用大约是800新元。

后来他听说有人在组屋楼下的空地上举办了一次聚餐。“那真是让我灵光一闪，”他说。“我们用空地举办葬礼，也用空地举办婚礼。那么，为什么不能用于其他用途呢？”

吴先生写信给镇议会，获准以50美元的价格租用这间场地。场地配备了水电接口。他从自己的公寓搬来椅子和折叠桌，布置了一个简易的起居室。包括材料在内，总成本为89美元。

9月19日，一群年轻人聚集在义顺组屋楼下的社区活动空间，围坐在麻将桌旁和牌桌旁，希望能结识新朋友。（海峡时报摄影：金泰）

9月19日，一群年轻人聚集在义顺组屋楼下的社区空间，围坐在麻将桌旁玩纸牌游戏，希望能结识新朋友。

他回忆起当时看到各行各业的人们一边捧着汤碗一边自然而然地攀谈起来，感到非常惊奇。

起初，他担心邻居们的投诉。但反响绝大多数都是积极的，唯一的担忧是关于食品卫生。为了消除这些顾虑，他后来取得了食品安全证书。

他这样做能得到什么好处？

“幸福啦。看到人们吃饱穿暖，就是纯粹的快乐。”他毫不犹豫地说。

特权地位

为这些活动准备食物通常需要几天时间。吴先生负责制定菜单、购买食材并亲手烹饪。9月19日的披萨派对，他与The Chop Community共同承担了食物费用。

那天，吴和一群志愿者辛勤地制作披萨面团和切碎的配料。他们当天为大约90人提供了七种那不勒斯披萨，包括奶酪和热蜂蜜披萨；松露奶油蘑菇脆羽衣甘蓝披萨；以及甜开心果布里奶酪蜂蜜披萨。

The Chop Community 的社区经理 Abel Fam（左）和 Ngoh 在他们共同组织的披萨派对上轻松愉快地交谈。当天他们供应了七种那不勒斯披萨。ST PHOTO：GIN TAY

The Chop Community 的社区经理 Abel Fam（左）和 Ngoh 在他们共同组织的披萨派对上轻松愉快地交谈着。当天他们供应了七种那不勒斯披萨。

参加活动的还有 35 岁的创业公司产品设计师孔世辉，他很喜欢大家在享用美食美酒的同时自发地展开对话。

“这种好奇心和开放的态度令人耳目一新。我已经很久没有感受到这种氛围了。”她说。

（从左至右）包括Shaun Ng、The Chop Community社区经理Abel Fam、Food for Soul基层倡议创始人Solomon Kang和Ngoh在内的志愿者们在9月19日的披萨派对上为约90人提供了食物。（海峡时报摄影：GIN TAY）

（从左至右）包括 Shaun Ng、The Chop Community 的社区经理 Abel Fam、自下而上的倡议 Food for Soul 的创始人 Solomon Kang 和 Ngoh 在内的志愿者在 9 月 19 日的披萨派对上为大约 90 人提供了食物。

这项举措引起了基层领袖的关注。文化、社区及青年部长兼淡滨尼集选区议员梁振英于8月30日在太阳广场公园参加了吴先生举办的烧烤派对，与居民们亲切交流。

政府机构已告知吴先生他可以申请资助。虽然他对这个想法持开放态度，但他对将自己的项目与拨款申请和关键绩效指标挂钩仍有所顾虑。

此外，他认为，只要自己还有能力负担，纳税人就不应该为他的个人“爱好”买单。“我有特权这样做，”他说。

他的目标是将甘榜汤厨房模式推广到新加坡的每个居民社区。也有人问他是否可以在自己的社区复制这种模式，他也乐于分享经验。

“我还是觉得自己只是个无名小卒，”吴说。“只要想做，谁都能做到。”

克里斯汀·谭是《海峡时报》的记者，报道新加坡的社会事务和司法问题。