Singapore takes its hawker food seriously – seriously enough to earn Michelin's first street food stars. I spent my mornings at Maxwell Food Centre, working my way through stalls that had perfected single dishes over decades. Each one was a masterclass in simplicity done perfectly.

Prata at the morning brunch spot, folded and stretched until paper-thin, then tossed on the griddle and served with curry for dipping. Fishball noodles from a stall where the elderly couple had been making the same recipe since the 1970s. Oyster omelets crisp at the edges and soft in the center.

The trick was to arrive hungry and share everything. A table might hold char kway teow beside popiah rolls beside ice kachang for dessert. Ordering everything and sharing became my strategy – the variety was the point.

Clean, efficient, and unbelievably delicious, Singapore's hawker centers prove that fast food can be haute cuisine when made with generations of expertise and pride. Each meal cost less than a fancy coffee back home and fed my soul more than any five-star restaurant ever could.

– Carmel