Hee Hee Hee Steam Fish: From fishmongers to hawkers
- Childhood friends Jack and Sky went from fishmongers to running eight Hee Hee Hee Steam Fish outlets, including their newest at Punggol Coast Hawker Centre.
- Their menu started with just grouper and seabass, later expanding to other types of fish and seafood such as golden pomfret, red snapper, prawn and sotong (squid).
- Now, the brand has garnered fans for its tasty whole fish at affordable prices and a signature Hong Kong–style sauce.
At Punggol Coast Hawker Centre, the scent of freshly steamed fish wafts from a stall called Hee Hee Hee Steam Fish.
Behind it are Sky Sim and Jack Lim, both 40, two lifelong friends who swapped cold wet markets for the heat of hawker kitchens. Together, they bring affordable, whole-fish dishes to Singaporeans.
The stall is a fish-lover’s haven, offering everything from grouper and seabass, to golden pomfret and red snapper. For those seeking variety, other dishes such as prawn and Thai chilli sotong also make appearances on the menu.
For Sky and Jack, Hee Hee Hee Steam Fish began an idea to sell fresh fish cooked-to-order. The brand has now become a thriving chain of hawker stalls, known for generous portions and affordable pricing (whole fishes go for as low as $9). The latest stall at Punggol Coast Hawker Centre opened in July.
Beginnings and partnership
Jack and Sky’s friendship stretches back to their childhood. The two grew up together in primary school, secondary school and ITE, before drifting apart.
Years later, they reconnected when Sky began helping Jack with fish deliveries in 2020. Before that, Sky dabbled in a variety of jobs — from newspaper delivery and retail, to waterproofing and driving for Grab during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He also completed a short course in UI/UX design, which gave him some insight into branding and how people perceive visuals, though he never pursued it professionally.
Jack’s path was equally varied. He worked in retail, selling small electronics and accessories, and later became a durian seller. However, the seasonal nature of the durian trade proved unsustainable. Selling fish, by contrast, offered consistency, which led Jack to become a fishmonger.
Years later, they reconnected when Sky began helping Jack with fish deliveries in 2020. Before that, Sky dabbled in a variety of jobs — from newspaper delivery and retail, to waterproofing and driving for Grab during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He also completed a short course in UI/UX design, which gave him some insight into branding and how people perceive visuals, though he never pursued it professionally.
Jack’s path was equally varied. He worked in retail, selling small electronics and accessories, and later became a durian seller. However, the seasonal nature of the durian trade proved unsustainable. Selling fish, by contrast, offered consistency, which led Jack to become a fishmonger.
At first, Sky assisted Jack in handling fish deliveries, then decided to join him as a fishmonger and learnt the trade from him.
“He taught me techniques such as how to filet, cut and rescale the fish using the right equipment,” says Sky.
From wet market to hawker stall
After about a year of co-running their fish stall at the Block 80 Circuit Road Market & Food Centre wet market, Jack and Sky decided to start their very first hawker branch in 2021 — just a block away at Circuit Road Blk 79/79A Hawker Centre.
Sky describes how informal the leap from wet market to hawker stall was: “We suddenly thought: ‘Why not sell fish — at cost-price — as cooked items?’ We wanted to serve affordable seafood for everyone.”
As fishmongers, their direct ties to Jurong Fishery Port gave them a major edge. “We cut off the middle man and are able to bring in fresh and cheaper seafood,” Jack explains.
The early days were filled with long hours. Jack and Sky would start their days at 2am at Jurong Fishery Port, buying and processing fish, before heading to the stall to cook.
They would then arrive at their hawker stall at 9am, and work till 10pm at night. When they began opening multiple outlets, they chose to hire a team to manage their raw-fish stall, and to process and deliver fish to all their outlets.
“Now we just come in the morning to prepare our stalls, making our working hours more manageable,” says Sky.
Coming up with their menu
When Hee Hee Hee first launched, the menu was spartan. When deciding which fish to serve, Jack and Sky kept things practical. They began with just grouper and seabass — two species that are affordable and widely available.
“Customers then told us they wanted more variety on the menu, so we gradually expanded to about 15 to 18 items,” says Jack.
The menu at the new Punggol Coast Hawker Centre spans 16 items, including the signature golden pomfret (S$12), grouper (S$10 for a medium fish and S$12 for large) and seabass (S$9).
There are also other items such as red snapper (S$22 for medium and S$28 for large), prawn (S$8), Thai chilli sotong (S$12 for a medium plate, S$15 for large), salted chicken (S$8) and otah with egg (S$8).
All of the fish is served steamed and paired with a signature Hong Kong–style sauce, which Jack and Sky developed through trial and error.
They deliberately streamlined the recipe after feedback from elderly customers. “At the beginning, we had about seven ingredients and put a lot of garlic and shallot to make the flavours stronger, but the sauce ended up tasting too heavy,” recalls Sky.
They then cut the sauce down to three ingredients and got much better feedback. What remains is a simple, but flavourful blend of soya sauce, sesame oil, and oyster sauce.
Customers are often surprised by the generous portions and affordability of Hee Hee Hee’s whole fish. Sky is quick to note that affordability isn’t easy to maintain. “I’m really fortunate that my fish supplier maintains the same price for me, even amidst the GST hike,” he says.
While many hawker stalls have hiked food prices in recent years, Jack and Sky have only increased the price of sotong so far.
What we tried
On our visit, we sampled three of their most popular fishes: Golden pomfret, grouper, and seabass.
My favourite was the golden pomfret. With its clean taste, slight sweetness and tender flesh, the golden pomfret absorbed the sauce beautifully. Though it sits on the pricier end, the fish’s freshness and flavour justifies its place on the menu.
Firm and moist, the grouper was hearty and substantial. The sauce added depth without overwhelming the natural flavour of the fish.
Moist and delicate, the seabass was perhaps the most approachable option. Its flesh flaked easily with chopsticks, carrying the light savoury sauce in every bite. For many diners, it’s the most comforting choice — familiar, versatile, and reliably satisfying.
A fiery contrast to the lighter fish dishes, the Thai chilli sotong came tossed in a spicy Thai-style chilli sauce that packed both heat and sweetness. The squid was tender, not rubbery, and the sauce clung to every piece, making it a punchy side dish to share.
As for the otah with egg, this dish layered smoky, spiced fish paste with the softness of steamed egg, creating a homely combination. The otah added a gentle spice kick, while the eggs kept it comforting — a favourite among customers looking for something hearty beyond steamed fish.
I also enjoyed the generous portion of cai poh egg. A simple, yet classic offering, the cai poh (preserved radish) added a salty crunch to the fluffy omelette. It balanced well alongside the seafood-heavy menu, providing a satisfying, savoury bite.
Growth and expansion
From their humble beginnings in 2021, Jack and Sky now run eight outlets across Singapore, and are planning for more in the future, across different parts of the island.
Maintaining quality across multiple stalls has been a challenge, but regular quality checks and customer feedback have kept standards in check.
“Some regular customers will even travel to all our outlets and rank them,” says Jack. “ We really appreciate all our regulars who show us so much support.”
For now, Hee Hee Hee is content with steady hawker expansion, but both founders dream bigger.
“When we have more capital, we hope to open a restaurant selling unique types of seafood that are not commonly available in Singapore ,” says Sky. “We want Hee Hee Hee to become a well-established brand in Singapore and expand overseas if possible.
For Jack and Sky, the best validation comes not from expansion or profits, but from customer praise.
“Diners have told us that the fish tastes like their grandma or mother’s cooking,” says Jack. “ For us, that’s the highest compliment and why we do this.”
For more ideas on what to eat, read more about the new panda-themed cafe at Somerset and Chagee’s newest Chinatown heritage outlet with its first-ever retail space.
Rebecca Wong is a experienced freelance writer whose work has been featured in The Straits Times and Channel NewsAsia, to name a few. She gravitates towards topics like food, travel and human interest stories, and cannot resist a hearty plate of chicken rice or freshly kneaded pizza.
Read more stories from this writer.
