Month-old modern coffee and toast stall Mad Roaster at Amoy Street Food Centre looks like your typical millennial business with its trendy lamps and a pink espresso machine. Except this is a small social enterprise, and its owner, Madeline Chan, 27, a part-time lawyer at a mid-sized local firm. She juggles a day job with baking and barista duties here, working overtime to generate income for displaced refugees in Thailand. She does almost everything herself — from baking loaves of brioche daily, to frothing lattes for her assorted coffee drinks.
It helps that she has a very understanding boss who allows her to work out of the office — so during lull periods at the hawker centre, she whips out her laptop to work.
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1/151/15Lawyer with a heart -
2/152/15Working with Refugees -
3/153/15Much-needed income -
4/154/15Coffee with a social conscience -
5/155/15Working Overtime -
6/156/15Family support -
7/157/15Small and simple menu -
8/158/15Laminated Brioche -
9/159/15Cinnamon Brioche, $2 a slice; $18 a loaf -
10/1510/15Babka, $2 a slice; $18 a loaf (8 Days Pick!) -
11/1511/15Coffees from $2.80 -
12/1512/15Honey Butter Latte, $4 (8 Days Pick!) -
13/1513/15Matcha Latte, $4 (8 Days Pick!) -
14/1514/15Bottom Line -
15/1515/15The details