Second-generation hawker Melvin Chew, 39, took over his parents' braised duck and kway chap stall in Chinatown when his father died four years ago.

His mother, Madam Lim Bee Hong, 62, wanted to call it a day, but he wanted to carry on the business, which he calls "a passion".

The mother-and-son duo run Jin Ji Braised Duck & Kway Chap at Chinatown Complex Market and Food Centre in Smith Street.

They are featured in the first episode of a new six-part food video series called A Day In The Kitchen, which takes a look at how chefs and owners of various eateries go about their day.

Mr Chew and his mother believe in using only fresh duck, pork and offal, as well as making everything - from the chilli sambal to shallot oil - from scratch.

Madam Lim says: "I have been cooking with the same type and amount of medicinal herbs for the past 30 years. No short cuts."

The stall opened in 1983 at the then Kreta Ayer Complex, now Chinatown Complex, when the market and food centre was constructed for itinerant hawkers in the area.

Madam Lim and her late husband used to sell fruit from a pushcart near the once-iconic and now-defunct Majestic Theatre in Eu Tong Sen Street before opening their braised duck and kway chap stall. He had suggested these dishes because not many hawkers were selling them at the time.

Since joining the business full-time, Mr Chew, a former executive handling accident claims at a car workshop, has introduced a few things of his own. These include changing the presentation of braised duck rice, serving braised duck tsukemen and replacing the hard-boiled braised egg with Japanese-style marinated ajitsuke tamago, which have gooey yolks.

The bachelor says: "Many of our customers are getting on in age. Our food is still traditional but I felt that changing the way we serve it, such as presenting duck rice in the style of a Japanese bento with rice balls, would help attract younger customers."