Moses Lim: From food critic to author, here are things to know about the late Singaporean actor-comedian

Singaporean actor Moses Lim, best known for his role as Tan Ah Teck in sitcom Under One Roof, died on Tuesday (Feb 11) at the age of 75. His death was announced in a Facebook post on Wednesday. 

But Lim was more than a veteran actor and comedian. A celebrity food critic, an author, a host, here are all the things to know about the icon:

AWARD-WINNING COMEDIAN AND HOST

Lim’s career in show business started in 1969 when he won first runner-up in an amateur compère, or hosting, competition, which opened doors for him in the industry. 

Through the 80s, Lim hosted and performed talk shows, gigs and sketches with overseas celebrities, including established celebrities from Taiwan and Hong Kong with whom he made acquaintances. This kick-started his entertainment career.

His first big break came when he co-hosted a weekly Mandarin variety show on Mediacorp's Channel 8, Comedy Night, with director-actor Jack Neo in 1993. This led Lim to become a household name in the 1990s, landing him various hosting gigs.

In 1997, Lim was signed by Hong Kong TV station CETV, where he hosted cooking and variety shows with Hong Kong celebrities like the late comedian-actress Lydia Sum.

CELEBRITY FOOD CRITIC

Aside from entertainment, Lim was very active in Singapore’s food critic scene and was instrumental in promoting local hawker culture and food since the 1980s. 

According to his website moseslim.com, Lim “took a keen interest in the cultural nuances a dish carries across different countries and communities”. 

He founded his own Moses Lim Gourmet Club in 1993, which saw him lead hundreds on thematic overseas gourmet tours. 

Before Singapore's hawker culture was awarded UN Cultural Heritage status, Lim also played a key role in introducing hawker culture and food locally and internationally through his appointment with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in the annual Hawker Fest Singapore Food Festival from 2016 to 2018. 

Lim had also been appointed food and travel ambassadors by tourism boards in countries like Malaysia, Australia, China and Korea. 

VETERAN ACTOR

Many know and love Lim for his role as patriarch Tan Ah Teck in Singapore's first and one of its most popular sitcoms Under One Roof which ran from 1995-2003. The show was the first successful English show by Mediacorp's Channel 5 that was sold internationally. It also starred Koh Chieng Mun, Vernetta Lopez, Andrew Lim and Nicholas Lee. 

In 1996 and 1997, Under One Roof won the Best Comedy or Series Award at the Asian Television Awards. The show was also a finalist in the Best Sitcom category at the International Emmy Awards as well as the New York Festivals Awards. 

The success of Under One Roof paved the way for future local sitcoms like Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd, Mr Kiasu and Police & Thief. 

Lim’s portrayal of Tan Ah Teck also led him to become the first Singaporean to win the Asian Television Awards for Best Male Actor in a Comedy (Comedian) in 1996.

In the show, Lim’s character Tan Ah Teck is often prompted by any situation to tell his stories with the intention to teach the other characters some moral lesson and to impart nuggets of wisdom.

The stories frequently begin with his famous catchphrase "This reminds me of a story! Long before your time, in the Southern province of China...". Many still remember his iconic line till this day. 

In 2004, Lim received the Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Award during Mediacorp’s Star Awards.

Thereafter, Moses Lim focused more on films and other productions. In 2007, he played director Eric Tan in Just Follow Law directed by Jack Neo and in 2012, he performed in the stage play, Happily Ever Laughter. In 2015, Lim also starred in Our Sister Mambo, a film to mark Cathay Organisation's 80th anniversary.

FOOD AUTHOR AND COLUMNIST

In line with Lim’s passion for gastronomy, the actor-comedian also authored a series of books on food and culture, titled Moses Lim’s Gourmet Notebook 1, 2 and 3, and Moses Lim’s Thoughts On Food. 

Lim even had a column in Singapore Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Wanbao, Chinese evening newspaper Shinmin Daily News and Chinese magazine I-Weekly where he shared his gourmet adventures with his fans and readers.   

HIS LATER YEARS

In 2018, the veteran entertainer underwent heart surgery. In a 2023 interview with Singapore-based news outlet 8world, he revealed that he had been diagnosed with a slow pulse rate and became more conscious of his diet as a result. 

He also shared in the same interview that he wasn't considering a return to showbiz as he felt the days spent in front of the camera were more taxing. 

More recently in 2022, the veteran entertainer and celebrity food critic assembled four Chinese chefs, three of whom were brought out of retirement, to present the first-ever “8 Hands Culinary Showcase: A Rediscovery of Cantonese Classics” menu that dates back 30 years at Goodwood Park’s Chinese restaurant Min Jiang. 

Lim leaves behind his wife Monica, daughters Grace and Angela, and four granddaughters.