SINGAPORE, Sept 10 — A 14-year-old student in Singapore has become a social media sensation after landing his dream part-time job at a chicken rice shop he grew up frequenting.

Joshua Alexander Jun Wei Gilby, who has loved chicken rice since childhood, finally got to work at Nam Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant after first being turned down at 13 for being too young, The Straits Times reported today.

“I’ve been going to this restaurant since I was five and I’ve always wanted to know their secret recipe,” Gilby was quoted as saying.

From July to August, the teen worked twice a week at Nam Kee’s Upper Thomson outlet, learning to take orders, clear tables and even pick bean sprout roots, while brushing up on his Mandarin.

Nam Kee owner Dave Chew said he was surprised by the boy’s determination.

“Most kids that age just want to hang out with friends or play video games. But Josh said he wanted to experience what it’s like to work in the shop. I thought, ‘Wow, this kid is different’,” he told the Singapore-based newspaper.

The eatery has since posted videos of the British teen on TikTok and Instagram, which quickly went viral with more than 300,000 views combined.

Gilby’s enthusiasm has won over customers and even earned him the nickname “Mr Chicken Rice” among friends who visited him at work.

He admitted the experience was exhausting but fulfilling, particularly since speaking Mandarin with customers proved to be the hardest part.

“My dream has always been to open a chicken rice shop as good as Nam Kee. But after working there, I know that I cannot compete with it,” he told the newspaper.