From Air Force engineers to F&B moguls: The Wok Hey founders' journey

Former Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) engineers Jake Chia, 43, and Huang Changyong, 42, have successfully transitioned from maintaining aircraft to building a significant presence in the food and beverage industry. Since launching their halal homegrown brand Wok Hey in 2017, they have established a familiar sight with numerous takeaway kiosks across Singapore serving stir-fried rice and noodles.

“

I just thought it was time to embark on a fresh challenge in life. I was interested in building a business, something that could add value to people’s lives.

Their entrepreneurial journey has now expanded with Niku Iku, a halal Japanese grill concept. The opening of Niku Iku's latest outlets at Our Tampines Hub and Lot One marks a new chapter, introducing dine-in areas and moving beyond their grab-and-go origins. This expansion signifies growth for the duo, who have developed Wok Hey into a mini empire with 45 outlets in Singapore and five in Kuala Lumpur, while Niku Iku now boasts 11 outlets islandwide.

Chia and Huang, who were aircraft engineers responsible for aerosystems maintenance after completing their engineering degrees, decided to pursue a fresh challenge in life. Huang expressed his interest in building a business that could add value to people's lives. Both described themselves as foodies, finding the idea of creating an F&B concept more exciting than a traditional engineering role. Chia also identified a market gap for affordable, customizable zi char-style food served quickly.

“

Our staff couldn't be cross-deployed the way we normally would. Operations were disrupted and every day brought a new restriction we had to adapt to. We were navigating in the dark, in real time, with no playbook.

The path was not without its difficulties, particularly during the pandemic. Chia described it as the "lowest point," with disrupted operations and constant adaptation to new restrictions. He recalled writing a memo to staff titled 'Time for resilience and gratitude,' acknowledging their shared fear but emphasizing the importance of not letting it dominate. This period underscored their commitment to the business and their staff, reminding them "of why we do this."

“

I remember sitting down to write it, thinking: what do you say to people who are scared, when you're scared, too? You can't pretend everything is fine. But you also can't let fear be the loudest thing in the room.

Despite Wok Hey's current scale, the founders acknowledge that the pressure has not lessened; if anything, the stakes are higher. Their journey from military engineers to successful F&B entrepreneurs demonstrates a significant career pivot driven by passion and market insight.

“

It was a reminder of why we do this.