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Chitchat Duck lovers

imagery

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
A spinning rotisserie loaded with glistening ducks has become a crowd magnet at People's Park Complex recently.

The popularity of Duck Master, a month-old roasted duck stall, has resulted in two-hour-long waits for the ducks, which are roasted every 11/2 hours throughout the day.

The stall is crammed with electric rotating ovens - a third one was brought in four days ago to cope with the escalating demand.

Diners need to pre-order their ducks 11/2 to two hours in advance at a make-shift booth at the side of the stall, pay and collect a token to claim their orders later. About 400 ducks are sold by 5pm daily.

With separate queues for preorders and collection set up four days ago, the queues have shortened and the process has become less frenzied.

Most customers flock to Duck Master as they are attracted by the affordable price.

Each unchopped duck, which weighs 1.8 to 2kg, is priced at $15 - about half the price of those sold in most hawker centres.

Owner Paul Boh, 30, a former food photographer, is tapping the popularity of duck, with restaurants such as Four Seasons Chinese Restaurant and London Fat Duck having opened here. These restaurants are famed for serving roast Irish ducks.

He says: "Food costs will always increase. If I want to sell food in huge quantities, I need to use new technology to cut down on operational costs."

One cost-effective way is using electric-powered rotisseries, as opposed to the typical charcoal- fired or gas-powered metal ovens.

Mr Boh roasts 24 ducks in each rotisserie at a time for 45 minutes and turns up the heat for another 15 minutes to crisp the skin.

He says that experienced chefs, who specialise in roasting ducks, are expensive to hire.

So he spent about two months experimenting with the roasting temperature and the speed of rotation of the oven, which helps to distribute heat evenly. He declines to say where the ovens are imported from.

"I learnt how to roast ducks with these pre-set functions and it is easier to gauge if the ducks are cooked from the glass display."

While he admits that the ducks are not as flavourful as those cooked in a charcoal-fired oven, the marination process makes up for it.

The fowl, which are imported daily from Malaysia, are marinated for eight hours with 11 spices, including cinnamon and star anise, in a central kitchen here.

Mr Boh picked up the recipe from his mother and pumped $300,000 into his maiden food venture.

Asked why such a lengthy waiting time is required, he says that 40 per cent of the slots are booked one day ahead and a lean team of three staff has to juggle taking orders, draining the ovens of oil and re-filling them with raw ducks.

To meet growing demand, he will open a second outlet in the central part of Singapore next month and plans to start an online ordering system and a delivery service.

Most customers that The Sunday Times spoke to say the ducks are value for money and that they make use of the long waiting time to shop around Chinatown.

Housewife Alice Tan, 58, who has bought the duck twice, says: "The meat is tender and not too oily, though it is smaller and skinnier than most ducks. But if the waiting time is more than two hours, I will not buy it."

Retiree Shirley Tay, 64 says: "I live to eat and am used to queueing for good food. The duck is succulent and has a crispy skin when eaten fresh. I hope the stall gets a Michelin star.
 

Hangover

Alfrescian
Loyal
sounds like this business owner is going to be a disruptor in the roast duck business.
$15, still wanna complain not tasty?
 

The_Hypocrite

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Good point, If a Malay start this business, and he gets business from the malay community he sure will survive, and a lot of the other races like lamb too,,,if price and quality and taste is good, sure can survive.

Why don't you start it, I am sure the response would be good.
 

kezgtree

Alfrescian
Loyal
Good point, If a Malay start this business, and he gets business from the malay community he sure will survive, and a lot of the other races like lamb too,,,if price and quality and taste is good, sure can survive.
if it is $15...it damn cheap as compare to others..and if it is halal mostly likely the Q will be 3 hrs..
 

The_Hypocrite

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Yeah,,,if halal will get more biz,,but I think the owner needs to be a muslim to get halal certificate,,,,anyway no point being greedy, just sell to those who wants,,,no need to cater to others who don't want it.

if it is $15...it damn cheap as compare to others..and if it is halal mostly likely the Q will be 3 hrs..
 

JohnTan

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
if it is $15...it damn cheap as compare to others..and if it is halal mostly likely the Q will be 3 hrs..

npnt.

Duck is cheap because he grills them en-masse and doesn't spend time cutting it up. You buy the duck whole.

30305311.JPG
 

Narong Wongwan

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
when Giant@Parkway opened they hv such mc but after promotions over demise followed very quickly......

Yes my Pt exactly..... now giant vacuum packed ones goes for $21. And this is factory massed produced. If factory can't sell at $15 what makes this duck master able to?
 

The_Hypocrite

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
I predict will go bust soon.
Anyone remember Johnson Duck and 933? Couldn't sustain despite the good business.

If quality drops sure cannot sustain. But his business model is good. Minimal manpower n sell by whole duck. So that way operations cost is cut down. And got separate line for pre-orders etc..so if no competition etc he should be fine...also if 15 is not promotional price etc should do well. And even he raise to 18 bucks there will still be takers...just hope he don't get greedy n cut corners
 

Pek Kim Lui

Alfrescian
Loyal
If quality drops sure cannot sustain. But his business model is good. Minimal manpower n sell by whole duck. So that way operations cost is cut down. And got separate line for pre-orders etc..so if no competition etc he should be fine...also if 15 is not promotional price etc should do well. And even he raise to 18 bucks there will still be takers...just hope he don't get greedy n cut corners

y good biz model........sans wife
 

syed putra

Alfrescian
Loyal
If quality drops sure cannot sustain. But his business model is good. Minimal manpower n sell by whole duck. So that way operations cost is cut down. And got separate line for pre-orders etc..so if no competition etc he should be fine...also if 15 is not promotional price etc should do well. And even he raise to 18 bucks there will still be takers...just hope he don't get greedy n cut corners

That $18 may come soon.
 
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