Winnie Ong, 53, who has been in the business for only three years, won the top prize at the Penang Char Koay Teow Competition 2025.

Ong, who trades at Swee Kong Coffee Shop, was surprised by her win, saying it was her daughter who had signed her up for the competition. She agreed to join only to “try my luck”, Buletin Mutiara reported.

“I don’t have a secret recipe, maybe it’s the sauce that makes the difference. Thank you to the organisers and all the supporters. This is truly a memorable day for me,” said Ong, who can sell up to 200 plates of the iconic noodle dish over a weekend.

Second place went to 50-year-old Chin Foh Shin, who has been operating at Hobe Restaurant in Seberang Perai for more than 10 years.

Third place was taken by Khoo Kay Keat, 47, who fries up his noodles in Beng Chin Garden Restaurant in Ayer Itam.

The competition was organised by the Jalan Transfer and Jalan Argyll village community management council, which plans to hold the next competition in 2027.

A total of 30 hawkers took part while members of the public were allowed to sample the various plates fried up by the contestants, with the costs covered by the organisers.

Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow who attended the event took a shot at whipping up his own plate of char koay teow.

Chow, the Padang Kota assemblyman, said the competition was more than just a culinary contest, but a platform that allowed every hawker to put their skills on display while gaining public recognition.

“As we often say: ‘food is the soul of a city’, and char koay teow is indeed one of the soul symbols of Penang’s culinary identity. It is not only an emotional attachment but also a taste embedded in the memories of Penangites,” he said.