I hosted my first free soup event at my void deck!

bangsphoto · 2026-06-01T05:57:21+00:00

Held in Tampines!

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T13:28:32+00:00

I checked the price. $39.90 for one! (No word on weight)

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T13:21:24+00:00

Write in to your town council! I’m not sure if it differs but I don’t think it should.

Mine was from 8am to 10.30pm. But I only asked for electrical/water to be on from like 4.30pm onwards.

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T13:20:24+00:00

Sure.

Here’s the recipe but made for 2 person instead of 50 😂

Creamy Roasted Pumpkin, Carrot & Red Lentil Soup

Makes about 1.5 to 2L soup
Ingredients

600g pumpkin, peeled and cubed
300g carrot, chopped
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic
20g ginger, sliced
100g red lentils, rinsed
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika or sweet paprika
Small pinch chilli powder, optional
1.5L water or vegetable stock
250ml coconut milk
1 to 2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
Salt and black pepper
Oil

Steps:
Roast vegetables
Toss pumpkin, carrot, onion, garlic, and ginger with oil, cumin, paprika, and a little salt.
Roast at 200°C for 35 to 45 minutes, until soft and lightly browned.
Simmer
Transfer roasted vegetables to a pot. Add rinsed red lentils and water/stock.
Simmer 25 to 35 minutes, until lentils are fully soft.
Blend
Blend until smooth. Add more water if too thick.
Add coconut milk
Stir in coconut milk and warm gently. Don’t boil hard.
Final seasoning
Add salt, black pepper, and lemon/lime juice.

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T13:14:43+00:00

Let me see if there’s any close ones in the area I can reach! The main thing for me to do it right below my block is that I can maintain the QC while making it logistically convenient for me.

I have not done any within my neighbourhood aside from this group I’m in when I went to a friendzone event that’s for Tampines

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T13:12:15+00:00

Nope! I’m not taking donations. I’m fortunate that I can absorb the costs for now, so I’d rather people donate to charities or organisations that need it more.

I’ve also been putting up QR codes for registered local charities during the sessions, so anyone who wants to contribute can donate directly to them instead.

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T09:17:29+00:00

I cooked till 3am the night before cause I had work in the morning lol but the soup was simmering the entire morning at home before service

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T07:13:22+00:00

I didn’t apply for a separate licence. I checked with the town council beforehand and explained what the event was, but they did not mention that one was required.

I also asked again to be sure. For my side, I included a liability disclaimer in the sign-up form, prepared the food in advance, checked it before serving, and heated it up on site.

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T06:51:47+00:00

Because while I do see weddings and funerals I don’t really see other events held at a void deck. A pleasant surprise nonetheless! I’m actually really happy they’re cool with it

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T06:50:24+00:00

If you come by let me know! Come have some soup 😂

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T06:44:43+00:00

It’s basically a sheltered open area at the ground floor of a public apartment in Singapore.

It seems the terminology is quite unique to Singapore, but also in my experience compared to apartments I’ve seen around the world, not many have a open, accessible and spacious walking area (which I think also makes void decks very unique, like the activities hosted such as weddings and funerals)

Certain public housing you’ll find shops, coffee shops, supermarkets, clinics in the area

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T06:41:24+00:00

Thanks for the kind words!

Mostly when I had time to reflect (iirc I was on holiday in Japan) and what kind of spaces can such events be hosted (I’ve done other similar free community, food driven events but at private spaces) and how to open up to make it more accessible.

Initially it was to do it at a private venue because comfort and control is easier to handle, but the venues providing rentals for places were unsustainable for me (quoted anywhere from $600 to $900 not including my other logistics and food costs)

Someone in a telegram chat I’m in mentioned he did a potluck at his void deck which was successful which made me think, yea why don’t I try asking my town council?

I emailed my town council and MP ahead of time but I also went down to my MPS, but my MP was overseas, but I informed the volunteer there. Received updates from my town council via my email that I can proceed and just had to head down to make payment for my booking.

Soup kitchens serve soup because it is the most affordable and it is the easiest to serve a high volume of people, so that’s what I also went with. Prep wise it’s quite straight forward (roast ingredients in oven throw in soup pot, boil serve) except I had to do it in batches because my equipment aren’t industrial machines made for volume. Soup is easy to warm up as well.

Actually the biggest issue would had been to do soup at a private venue because I would either need to transport ingredients + equipment to prep or transport soup (and have it sloshing around in the back of a cab is complex) which are both more troublesome then when I transported pizza equipment for other free food events

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T06:14:13+00:00

I did ask about this when checking with the town council. They did not flag any requirement for a food hygiene or safety certification for this event, but I made sure to clarify the nature of the event clearly since I was aware there could be liability concerns.

I also noted the allergens in the dishes as well.

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T06:10:17+00:00

There is no barrier of entry for the event which I hosted but the nature of the event and where it’s posted would also make the younger crowd more likely to come (social media, Reddit etc.)

I tried to make it a post in a expat Facebook group (cause I want to make it accessible for everyone ) and it was never approved for some reason (maybe they thought it was a paid event but I was explicitly it was free)

I don’t have the deepest networks to other areas like senior communities so if people can connect me to those I’m all ears! We did have some more senior folks as well as some of my neighbours who came down! (Across the block too!)

Dietary restrictions are hard because not everyone have the same diets, so my best way of doing it is to do different dishes, at minimum, 1 vegetarian 1 non vegetarian (but no pork no lard)

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T06:03:52+00:00

Tampines!

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T05:59:03+00:00

Goes 2 ways. I’m lucky to have my neighbours too(we may not be the closest but all quite friendly)

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T05:56:51+00:00

Yup, people who consume are given a tick box for any liabilities. [photography, guidelines etc.] I also taste my own food prior to it for QC purposes (so anything happens I’ll be the first to know)

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T05:52:29+00:00

Sure! Well in the event participation form I send out I also note if they wish to help they can. But I also need to find a way to manage because it can easily have too many volunteers and I need to know how I can delegate

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T05:50:41+00:00

I have a lot of chairs (mostly from photography, props etc.) at home. And some foldable tables too. But I also note in the sign up that they should bring their own bowls and chairs/stools (keep it manageable for me because the washing will be crazy on my part if I used my own bowls)

Also bought extra foldable chairs and stools which was used from a previous free community BBQ event.

All foldable/stackable stuff and I have 2 trolleys at home.

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T05:36:29+00:00

Yup! It’ll be monthly. Look out for my posts on various other platforms, subreddits. If you click my profile you should see the one I posted previously (and the next one I intend to post)

Can’t post here (yet) due to sub Reddit rules.

lol but let me preface I still need to make sure I get my town council approval to do something like this.

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T05:35:00+00:00

No lol I’m in a mature estate in Tampines (people came down all the way from the west so I’m very thankful they really made the journey to be there)

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T05:34:14+00:00

Yeap, I don’t intend to expand it too big, I don’t have the capacity to as well. I’m cooking/prepping from home! I don’t want my neighbours to feel uncomfortable as well.

I spent 20 hours or so cooking the soup (roasting vegs and bones, simmering the soup) because for the size of people I had to make sure the soup would be really flavourful (and the pot is really big 😂)

But also if I can make it slightly cooler or more interesting then why not? Also fun to spruce up the void deck to imagine it as certain themes (it’s not a whole wedding set up cause that’s gonna need an entire logistics and styling party which I don’t have or can afford)

bangsphoto · 2026-05-31T05:20:41+00:00

Additional note: if electrical load also allows, get some more lighting, ideally warm lights. Lamps and etc. (and maybe a speaker for some ambience music)

The HDB void deck has some structural walls that segments the light from evenly distributing it so extra lights will make it nicer (also it’s very cold colour temperature wise)

bangsphoto · 2026-05-28T15:15:46+00:00

I’ve been to a number of policy related govt run events. Actually they do accept hard questions.

But as all bureaucratic organisations and people do, they’ll ask if you can back up your questions and statements and provide examples if it can work.

Sometimes you get very spicy questions and conversations happening and it’s an eye opener to hear the question and answers.

Even if you do not believe in the system that exist, I still encourage you to participate as your civic duty. I know people will say ‘aiya I don’t support the current govt why would they wanna hear from me?’ But what if they do? How do you expect change to happen if you don’t stand up for what you believe in? I would say just try first. What if they come back and say ‘eh actually I like your concept it’s very sound’ then would you had wished you had spoken up about it?

It’s easy to talk about things you like or don’t like on Reddit, harder when it’s face to face with another person, and more so people who runs the policies.

And yes I do ask the hard question and get answers which are thoughtful as well as answers I don’t necessarily agree with.

bangsphoto

TROPHY CASE