More than a young hawker: Why this 25-year-old gives away free food every Ramadan

Fikri, the owner of BlackGoat.

Fikri’s love for cooking has always been apparent. At the tender age of 9, he occasionallyvolunteered at the mosque, helping the kitchen crew prepare and serve food. Recognising hisinterest in cooking, his parents encouraged his passions. He would be allocated grocery moneyand asked to prepare family meals.

Fast forward two decades, the 25-year-old has chalked up various experiences in the F&Bindustry and is now the owner of BlackGoat – a muslim-owned hawker stall known for its steaksand burgers. A lesser-known fact about them is their food initiative, which offers free meals tothe community every Ramadan. We spoke with Fikri to understand his craft, enterprise, andmotivations behind this heartwarming initiative.

Journey to becoming a full-time chef

When I was in JC and NS, I couldn’t focus on anything except food and cooking. Throughoutmy life, my passion for food has never left, and that’s why I love it so much.”

That’s why after he served National Service, Fikri interned at the three-Michelin-starred Nordicrestaurant, Zen, in 2021. He had little experience working in a professional kitchen but gainedthe essential skills by working through menial tasks like prepping ingredients. Over two years,Fikri moved up the ranks at Zen, eventually becoming a demi chef (the assistant chef who aidsin food preparation for a particular station under the supervision of the chef de partie).

“The kitchen gave my life structure, discipline, and purpose. It taught me resilience and toaccept things as they are. You are someone who can do something, and as long as you workhard enough, you can make it. So, I worked super hard, and I wanted to be the best.”

While at Zen, Fikri and his dad started a home-based burger business.

"One day, he told me he had successfully bid for a hawker stall at Jalan Balan Batu Market &Food Centre near our house. That’s how I ended up with the space to do BlackGoat at 23 yearsold.

Challenges faced as a young business owner

Transitioning from a home-based business to a brick-and-mortar shop came with its usualchallenges.

“Back then, I was young, naive and possibly stupid; I didn’t think twice and said yes to everyopportunity. I didn’t start with a business model or have target groups. It was just me, my familyand a small group of friends. I was barely making enough money to pay my employees andkeep the shop running. But I was very lucky to have a supportive partner and parents whohelped out at the stall”.

BlackGoat has no fixed menu; Sometimes, the food can be sold out as early as 6.30pm.

“Initially, my dad wanted to sell packaged food, but we ended up selling steak and burgers.These were the dishes I self taught to cook, and were also the food I ate in my childhood whenthere was cause to celebrate. I try to incorporate the flavours and tastes of my culture andupbringing in the food we serve.”

The importance of giving back to the community

Fikri cooking steak, a speciality dish at BlackGoat.

Though BlackGoat was doing well, Fikri often found himself reminiscing about his timevolunteering in the mosque.

So Fikri started BlackGoat’s yearly Ramadan free meals initiative, blending his businessoperations with a mission to give back. Throughout the holy month of Ramadan, whilecontinuing to run business as usual, Fikri prepares large quantities of food for those in need.The initiative aims to provide families with a hearty meal to break their fast and is open toeveryone, regardless of race and religion, ensuring that no one is turned away.

Fikri giving out BlackGoat’s free meals during Ramadan.

“To be part of our Ramadan initiative, all you have to do is reach out to me, or send us a directmessage on Instagram. You can send in your request for any amount of food you want, andthen collect it from our shop at the designated time. Every day, we try to serve and give outabout 10 to 15 meals.My reason for doing this is simple: we are all human and feel hungry. This is a small way we can give back every Ramadan.”

When we have more than we need

Even when it's not Ramadan and he's not running his usual initiatives, Fikri and his team still give out unsold food to people living in the neighbourhood. There are multiple reasons for this. The first is to avoid keeping leftover stock and ensure that food quality is never compromised.

“I have a commitment to the craft, to prioritise cooking good food. Food purity always comes first. We try to prepare, cook, assemble, and serve our food in its freshest form, in the best way possible. We are always practicing, making mistakes, progressing, and improving.”

The second is to prevent food wastage, a prevalent issue in the food and beverage industry. Fikri shares that wastage is “inevitable” as they cannot predict how much unsold food will remain." So he tries to ensure this food goes into the bellies of those who need it most. This is the third and arguably, most important reason.

BlackGoat’s dishes from their current offerings.

Some flats in the Jalan Batu estate are home to low-income residents and senior citizens whorent under the Public Rental Scheme. As someone who lives in the same neighbourhood, Fikrifeels a strong attachment and desire to give back to the community he grew up in.

We can make a difference in our own ways

Fikri and the BlackGoat team.

In a world where many businesses aim to go viral and their main goal is to make endlessamounts of money, BlackGoat strives for sincerity. Fikri’s earnestness is evident, and his desireto build community is seen clearly in every aspect of his business.

“I think we should be more exposed to communities outside of ours. As young people becomeworking adults, they should be encouraged to give back and do good. And it doesn’t hurt thatwhen you give, you get a sense of fulfillment; you also feel good that you did the right thing.”

Five years from now, Fikri hopes to grow BlackGoat from a hawker stall to a restaurant. But fornow, he’s happy to focus on keeping prices affordable, maintaining ingredient quality, andrunning his yearly Ramadan initiative – giving away one burger or steak at a time

It doesn’t have to be Ramadan or any special occasion for you to volunteer or give back to your community. Make a change and kickstart your volunteering journey today. To see how you can help, head over to giving.sg for various volunteering opportunities.