Talk:Roti john

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Mutton or chicken

My local hawker center in Singapore serves both Mutton and Chicken Roti John, so I've amended the copy to reflect that consistently. Hugh Mason (talk • contribs 02:38, 28 February 2009 (UTC)

Origins

The earliest documented claim I can find is credits an unnamed hawker in Sembawang, Singapore, in the 1960s. The popularity is credited to a man named Shukor, in 1975 or 1976, also in Singapore. The following cite Shukor's daughter:

• "Roti John". Chennai Online. 2 July 2004. Archived from the original on 13 July 2008.
• "roti john". A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English. Jack Tsen-Ta Lee. 9 December 2013. – quotes the Chennai Online article, as well as two from the Straits Times I am unable to locate.

The following may also be of help:

• Lee Kip Lee (12 August 2007). "Roti John is not from India". The Straits Times. p. 39. – appears to be a letter to the editor

This blog claims that Shukor got the recipe from a fellow hawker in Geylang. The other claimant I can find is Ithnin Bin Ahmad, Malacca, 1978, but as this postdates the other claims, can be ruled out. Ibadibam (talk) 03:42, 27 January 2016 (UTC)

Interesting research results. The origin of a dish is rarely conclusively provable as being a single person or establishment, but that's just how it is. Many claims, little if any evidence. Regards Guffydrawers (talk) 05:19, 25 September 2025 (UTC)