Dignity Kitchen founder Koh Seng Choon named The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year 2024
Singapore, 24 February 2025 – Mr Koh Seng Choon, founder of Dignity Kitchen, has been named The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year 2024 for setting up a foodcourt that has employed people with disabilities since 2010.
For the first four years, Mr Koh did not take a salary as Dignity Kitchen was making daily losses of $1,000. To make up for the shortfall and to support his two teenage sons, Mr Koh juggled five jobs, including teaching, consultancy work and auditing.
Now 65, the former management consultant was inspired to give back to society after witnessing the plight of the poor and those with disabilities during his work stints in Britain, China and India in 1984.
Over the years, Dignity Kitchen has grown beyond selling food. It now also hosts corporate events and conducts cooking courses, among other initiatives. Today, it employs nearly 200 people with disabilities and has trained more than 2,000 people – including disadvantaged single parents and former prison inmates – equipping them with the skills needed to secure jobs in the food and beverage, hospitality and retail sectors.
Despite a devastating fire that ravaged Dignity Kitchen’s Boon Keng Road premises in February 2024, Mr Koh remained undeterred. In October 2024, he launched Dignity Kitchenette, a chain of food kiosks dedicated to training and employing individuals with early dementia or mental health conditions, or those recovering from cancer, providing them with meaningful opportunities to reintegrate into the workforce.
Mr Koh was presented the ST Singaporean of the Year 2024 award by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Patron of the Award, who was also the Guest-of-Honour at the Award ceremony.
Now in its 10th year, the ST Singaporean of the Year award honours a Singaporean individual or group that has made significant contributions to society. It also pays tribute to those who have put Singapore on the world map or have gone beyond the call of duty to selflessly improve the lives of others. The list of finalists can be found in Annex A, while information on the judging panel can be found in Annex B.
The award ceremony at the Istana also saw a 60m-long tapestry made from upcycled textiles in commemoration of Singapore’s 60 years of independence. Woven together by employees of UBS and its community partners, it has earned a place in the Singapore Book of Records, and marked the launch of UBS’ inaugural “Art for All” community art programme in Singapore.
Mr Koh was presented with a trophy and a cash prize of $20,000, in addition to a five-night stay at any of Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ global properties, and a pair of Singapore Airlines (SIA) business class tickets. Each of the other finalists received a certificate and a $5,000 cash prize, a three-night stay at any of Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ global properties, and a pair of SIA economy class tickets.
Mr Jaime Ho, Editor of The Straits Times, said, “These remarkable individuals show us that the true measure of impact lies not in the resources we possess, but in the generosity of our spirit and our resolve to uplift others. I hope these stories will continue to inspire Singaporeans to reach out to others as we strive to always make Singapore a better, kinder and stronger society.”
Mr Edmund Koh, Chairman of UBS Asia-Pacific, said, “UBS is privileged to be the founding sponsor of the Singaporean of the Year award and, today, we are delighted to celebrate the award’s 10th year alongside recognising our 2024 finalists. Reflecting on the past decade, it is truly a collective effort led by our everyday heroes that inspires positive impact in our communities. This year, our finalists continue to do us proud, demonstrating the strength of the Singapore spirit with their courage and tenacity, some even placing Singapore on the global stage. Congratulations to our award winner, Koh Seng Choon – his astute observations and deep understanding of a social issue sparked the business of restoring dignity to people with disabilities through gainful employment. His story reminds us of the value and importance of making a positive systemic impact as we look to address the issues of today. Going forward, we are excited to expand the award to include new categories to create even greater impact for good!”
To honour younger Singaporeans who have made a contribution to society through their acts of service, selflessness or courage, as well as Singaporeans or Singapore entities that have made a positive impact in the international arena, ST will be launching two awards, and the winners and finalists will be announced along with the ST Singaporean of the Year 2025 award.
The Singaporean of the Year 2024 award is organised by ST and presented by UBS Singapore. The official airline partner is Singapore Airlines and the global hotel and awards reception partner is Millennium Hotels and Resorts.
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