Raymond Kiang’s first memories of dining out were with his father as a child. He recalls one occasion when he tried to eat a hot dog with a fork and knife in an attempt to be “proper” — only for the sausage to fly off the table and onto the floor, landing perfectly for the waitress to slip on.

He’s come a long way since. Nearly four years into running Uncle Ray’s Chicken Rice in Hell’s Kitchen, Kiang has made a name for himself serving the dish he grew up with in Singapore. There, chicken rice is more than just food — it’s comfort, nostalgia, and tradition. Ray’s been on a mission to make his New York restaurant feel like home, one perfectly poached chicken and fragrant scoop of rice at a time.

Through his teenage years, Ray grew into the food world as he learned alongside his father. What began as hands-on work slowly turned into a lifelong passion. Now, after over fifty years in the business, he insists he’s still learning.

Ray is in the kitchen nearly every day, continuously striving to improve his craft. Whether that’s through refining a particular technique, maintaining consistency of a certain dish, or protecting the integrity of his recipes — even on his days off, his mind doesn’t wander far.

“I’m always asking myself, what am I going to cook next? How am I going to make it better?”

Ray’s dedication can be tasted through his perfectly curated dishes. He says himself, in fact, that the most meaningful feedback doesn’t come in words.

“When I see customers finish the whole plate: the chicken, rice, soup, sauces…that’s memorable to me,” he says. It’s one thing to enjoy food and another to finish it all.

“When that happens, I know I’ve done something right.”

See Ray and Uncle Ray’s Chicken Rice come to life here and walk in any day of the week besides Tuesday (closed)!

With compliments to the chef,

Jenn

Co-founder, Shortlist New York