I became a Mata……… A MAKANMATA!
My foray into the world of Makansutra

The Selection & Induction

I still remember that night. The memory lingers on. Meeting for the very first time, we were seated together. She looked dazzling under the lights. Her face shone with a glow. As I was sipping juice from my glass, she spoke those words, which left me amazed till this day.

"I finally found someone………………… who eats as much as I do or even more. Wow! You really can eat and love to eat! And you know your food pretty well too. Next time, I go on an eating trip, I'll ask you along." This "she" is the chief makanmata - the one who recruits makankakis and makanmatas.

As I chewed on my piece of roast beef, little did I know those words would change my life forever. I was given a new lease of life. In fact, an alter ego, part of a breed of unsung heroes. A secret identity that only a few good men (and of course, women) would know. The days ahead would see me patrol the streets, scouring every possible corner to expose the good hawkers in Singapore. My work required me to be bold and have guts - guts to savour the large quantities of food and boldness to shield off the sinister stares from onlookers.

I became a Mata……… A MAKANMATA!