Index of every page

Everything on this site, grouped by section, so nothing is more than a click or two away.

By the kitchen team at Chicken Pie Kitchen & Don Signature CrabLast updated: October 2026

Home

The Original DonThe home page: who Chef Don Lim is and what the original Don pie is.

The Original Don storyHow Chef Don Lim's chicken pie went from a 1983 staff cafeteria to Far East Square, Toa Payoh and Tyrwhitt Road. The Don Pie story, from his kitchen.
Who is the original Don?Who is Don Pie? The original Don is Chef Don Lim, the Singapore cook who created his chicken pie recipe in 1983 and founded Don Pie in 2000.
The Toa Payoh yearsChef Don Lim's Toa Payoh chapter, roughly 2015 to 2021: Don Signature Crab and Don's Pie & Cake. Both stalls have closed; here is where to go now.
The Hainanese threadWhat a Hainanese-style chicken pie is, why it carries half an egg, and how Chef Don Lim's Hainanese family from Purvis Street shaped his pie.
Press and mentionsA dated list of real coverage of Chef Don Lim's pies and crab, from 2008 China Square blogs to Tyrwhitt Road reviews, with our disclosure notes.
The original Don timelineEvery dated moment in the story, with a source for each entry.

What "original" means to usWhat original means for the Don pie: Chef Don Lim's recipe since 1983, made in his own kitchen, and sold only through our own five outlets in Singapore.
Anatomy of the originalThe original Don chicken pie, part by part: golden flaky crust, sealed crimp, chunky filling, half an egg, creamy gravy and a same-day bake.
How to recognise the original Don pieIs it the original Don chicken pie? Tick through seven real signs, from where it was bought to the golden crust, half an egg and same-day bake.
What "since 1983" meansOur tagline says Singapore's original Chicken Pie, since 1983. Here is what the date refers to, what the record shows, and what we cannot prove.
Who made Singapore's first chicken pie?Who made Singapore's first chicken pie? No one can name one person. What is documented, what is claimed, and where Chef Don's 1983 recipe fits.
Why originals matter in foodAn essay on originals and imitations in food: recipes versus names, why provenance matters, and how to judge a heritage claim fairly and calmly.

The piesDonChef's pie range: the Original Chicken Pie, Black Pepper, Chicken Shepherd's, Curry, Beef and Apple, and how each relates to the original recipe.
DonChef's Original Chicken PieThe original Don chicken pie: Chef Don Lim's 1983 recipe, with chunky chicken, potato and half an egg in a golden, flaky crust. Taste and sizes.
Black Pepper Chicken PieOur Black Pepper Chicken Pie: the same pastry as DonChef's Original Chicken Pie with a bolder, peppery filling. How it tastes and how it relates.
Chicken Shepherd's PieOur Chicken Shepherd's Pie: the Black Pepper Chicken Pie filling under baked mashed potato, baked as a tray. How it differs and how to keep it.
The Curry PieOur Curry Pie puts chicken and potato in curry spices inside pastry: a Singapore flavour in a chicken pie, baked today in the DonChef kitchen.

Craft notesShort essays from DonChef's kitchen on old-school chicken pie craft: the crust, the chicken, pepper, the half egg, baking and same-day freshness.
On a golden, flaky crustWhy DonChef's pie crust is called golden and flaky rather than shortcrust or puff, how flakiness works, and why we make our own pastry dough.
Why chunks, and why leg meatWhy the original Don chicken pie uses tender chunks rather than mince, why leg and thigh meat suit a pie, and how to judge a chicken pie filling.
Pepper and seasoning in old-school piesWhy seasoning matters so much in a sealed chicken pie, how white and black pepper shape old-school Singapore pies, and why our blend stays private.
The half eggWhy Singapore chicken pies like the original Don pie carry half a hard-boiled egg: where the habit comes from and what the egg does for the filling.
Baking and restingWhy we bake the original Don pie in small batches in deck ovens, what happens in the oven, and why a chicken pie should rest before you cut it.
Zero overnight pies, and why consistency mattersOur zero overnight pies policy explained: why a chicken pie should be sold the day it is baked, and why consistency is a recipe's real heritage.
Old-school pie culture in SingaporeIs chicken pie a Singapore heritage food? A careful look at old-school pie culture: Hainanese cooks, neighbourhood bakeries and family pies.

About this siteoriginaldon.com is written by Chicken Pie Kitchen & Don Signature Crab, the kitchen that bakes as DonChef. Who we are, how we write, and how to contact us.
Where to get the original Don pieWhere to buy the original Don chicken pie: our Tyrwhitt Road flagship, four kiosks and the official ordering sites. Hours and prices, October 2026.
Questions about the original Don pieTwenty-three common questions, answered in our own words.

Every story chapter, essay, pie page and craft note, in the order we published them, newest first.