Our Brand Story
Our History
A Wok Through Time
The Firewokz Group was established in 2016 by young entrepreneurs, Joanne Lau and Phil Phua in a tiny stall with a team of just 5 people. Born out of their love for nostalgic ‘wok hei’ cuisine, they set up the first JB 101 Firewokz zi char (煮炒) outlet at WCEGA tower.
Despite holding full-time jobs as bankers and having no prior F&B experience, the couple persevered through challenges, and focused on bringing creative, authentic flavours and their signature wok hei taste to customers at affordable prices.
Years later, their hard work and dedication paid off, leading to the establishment of their second outlet at Science Park in 2018. Since then, the Firewokz team has grown from strength to strength, bolstered by the support of talented chefs and staff with a similar passion of sharing wholesome food and heartfelt dining experiences with their customers.
Looking towards the future, The Firewokz Group has its sights set on finding new ways to introduce their signature flavours to diners in Singapore and beyond.
Our Founders
Focused on Food and Family
Phil Phua and Joanne Lau are a husband-and-wife team united by their love for good food. Having spent much time dining at zi char restaurants in Johor and beyond, they were driven by their desire to share unique wok hei flavours with others, and to make a mark in the F&;B arena in Singapore.
In 2016, they took a leap of faith and focused their efforts on building the Firewokz brand to what it is today. Having no prior experience in the food and dining business, financial backing, or a network of connections, their venture was undoubtedly laden with challenges.
But through it all, they worked together to establish a brand that resonates with their customers, and a food business that revolves around family and gathering
Our Food
Fresh, Flavourful and Familiar
“It’s incredibly rewarding when I see new customers enjoying our food. I’m also thankful when we get returning customers who visit us again,
bringing with them new friends and family. It gives me a great sense of satisfaction.” – Joanne Lau, Co-founder, The Firewokz Group
The JB 101 Story: Reinventing Traditional Cuisine While Sharing Exciting New Flavours Suited to Every Palate
Famous JB 101 Firewokz offers a sumptuous array of “Malaysian- inspired” Zi char dishes at wallet-friendly prices. Passionately prepared by seasoned chefs, each piping hot dish reminds diners of the nostalgic taste of home, elevated by the famous signature Firewokz ‘wok hei’ flavour. From their tantalising Johor street-fare inspired Hokkien Mee, succulent Signature Fried Pork, to their special take on fish infused with their sSignature Melaka sauce there’s definitely something to satiate every palate.
Nothing exemplifies ‘freshness’ better than the seafood dishes offered by JB 101 Firewokz, which is synonymous with the JB 101 line. The renowned Crab Bee Hoon has long been a crowd favourite, along with their palate tantalising Black Pepper Crab.
Best of all, every diner’s experience at any JB 101 outlet is made complete with exceptional service and a relaxing ambience. Gain respite from the hustle and bustle of city life and be transported into the tranquil foodie paradise at JB 101 Firewokz WCEGA Tower. Decked out in charming fairy lights, their unique and creative spin on the typical zi char dining experience allows diners to enjoy the lush breeze in a semi-alfresco setting, for a blissful evening of zi char under the stars.
Diners could also choose to escape the heat of our tropical weather at the fully-airconditioned JB 101 Firewokz Science Park outlet, complete with cosy seating and chic industrial vibes. Both outlets are also family-friendly with well-maintained play areas to keep the little ones occupied after their meals!
Our Brand Promise
Our Vision
To be locally and internationally renowned well-known locally and internationally for our
amazing authentic local delights.
Our Mission
To uphold our Philosophy of providing good food, great service and an amazing dining
experience for all our diners, from young to old. To constantly improve, innovate and create
dishes that excites diners’ palates.
Our Milestones
Famous JBb 101 first opened its doors at WCEGAcega Tower. At this industrial estate, the business operated fromin a tiny stall at an industrial estate with only 5 crew members.
Famous JBb 101 first opened its doors at WCEGAcega Tower. At this industrial estate, the business operated fromin a tiny stall at an industrial estate with only 5 crew members.
Famous JBb 101 first opened its doors at WCEGAcega Tower. At this industrial estate, the business operated fromin a tiny stall at an industrial estate with only 5 crew members.
Famous JBb 101 first opened its doors at WCEGAcega Tower. At this industrial estate, the business operated fromin a tiny stall at an industrial estate with only 5 crew members.
Famous JBb 101 first opened its doors at WCEGAcega Tower. At this industrial estate, the business operated fromin a tiny stall at an industrial estate with only 5 crew members.
Famous JBb 101 first opened its doors at WCEGAcega Tower. At this industrial estate, the business operated fromin a tiny stall at an industrial estate with only 5 crew members.
Our Team
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Our Firewokz Family: Fun and Flourishing.
“It’s important to us that we take the time to groom our chefs and service crew. We always make it a point to instil the value of teamwork to promote good camaraderie.” – Phil Phua, Co-founder, The Firewokz Group.
At the Firewokz Group, we’re more than just colleagues, we’re family. We strongly believe in the importance of playing to the strengths and talents of each of our team members, and drawing from their expertise to build a stronger, more cohesive team.
Our Management
Joanne Annalyn Lau
(Founder/CEO)
Leading the company is Joanne Annalyn Lau, Founder and CEO, going against the grain to pursue her dreams. With zero capital, investors and industry experience, Joanne and her husband ventured into the F&B industry in 2016.
Her passion and vision are the driving forces behind JB 101 Firewokz’s growing presence in the F&B arena.
Joanne started her career as a surgical scrub nurse in Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and was part of the first liver transplant team In Singapore in 2006. As an OT Nurse, she learnt discipline, anticipation and quick response to emergency situations.
A few years later, to satisfy her curiosity about work in the financial sector, she started work in the insurance sector, before later progressing onto a career in banking. She quickly climbed the ranks in the Wealth Management Department as a Specialist serving high net-worth individuals and Offshore clients in the bank. Her last position was Assistant Vice President, Citibank, Citigold.
With her strong leadership abilityies and strategic mindset, Joanne continuously creates, improves and implements policies and procedures for her organisation to improve the operational and financial effectiveness of the company. She also evaluates the company’s financial, operational, sales and marketing structures to plan for continual improvements and a consistent increase in operating efficiencies.
Phil Phua
(Founder/COO)
Phil Phua is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of The Firewokz Grp / Famous JB 101 Firewokz. His love for food was evident since young, and has always fashioned himself as an opportunist. Phil thrives on good ideas and has an aptitude in decision-making and problem-solving.
In 2016, while serving his reservist, a mutual friend sold him the idea of taking on a renowned roast meat franchise. With the support of his spouse, the duo took a leap of faith and the rest was history.
Phil graduated from Nanyang Technology University as a Mechanical Engineer, during his university days he often took on part-time jobs. While many others were afraid of doing sales and uncomfortable with handling possible confrontations that came with the job, Phil realised that he had a flair for dealing with people. To this date, he prides himself in being able to help friends and colleagues turn difficult situations around. His genuine character, outspoken nature and excellent people skills have gained him the trust of many regardless of age or background.
After he graduated, he pursued Business Banking/ Commercial Banking at United Overseas Bank (UOB). As an RM, he served many SMEs to MNCs and gained over 10 years of banking experience. Meeting business owners from different industries, he often gets inspired by their success stories and also understands their struggles. His last position held in the bank was Vice-President in the Commercial Banking space.
Samus Swee
(Partner/Head Of Sales & Marketing)
In 2018, we warmly welcomed Mr Shamus Swee to join our JB 101 family. His previous roles in web design and expertise in marketing has greatly added value to our team.
Shamus graduated from St Joseph Institution (SJI) in 2002 and started his job at JobsDB Singapore Pte Ltd. He held the position of Country Manager, Malaysia and was the Head of Sales, Singapore for 5 years. He then founded his own web design and marketing company DesignHows Pte Ltd.
With his extensive network of connections, excellent communication skills and strong entrepreneurial spirit, Mr Swee currently leads the onsite operations for JB 101 Firewokz’s Science Park outlet, while also spearheading marketing initiatives for the Firewokz brand.
In addition, Shamus builds strong relationships with our external partners and consumers to identify potential opportunities for sales and revenue generation. He also conducts regular and consistent research on the latest trends and best practices in the market to ensure that the business is kept at par or even ahead of other players to drive greater sales through securing a greater market share.
