4 minute read
TAKOREA
from (614)April 2022
Kevin Kim, Owner of TaKorea ↓
Seoul Food
TaKorea owner Kevin Kim embraces his Korean roots—and a childhood love for Mexican fare— in new Clintonville kitchen
By Sarah Sole / Photos by Jen Brown Story Design by Emma Quinn
After a decade working in the restaurant business, Kevin Kim has reached a critical moment in his career, with not one, but two ventures as owner/operator. →
Kim launched the MexicanKorean fusion ghost kitchen TaKorea in the beginning of December 2020. Seoulful, his new concept inside Thaiinspired fast casual spot Buddha Bowl at 2973 N. High St., features his take on traditional, Korean-style cooking.
The Seoul, South Korea native is filled with hope, ambition, and plenty of ideas. And he believes one gets only a few opportunities in life.
“I feel like this is my make it or break it moment,” Kim said.
Though he was born in Korea, Kim’s childhood was filled with Mexican cooking. The cuisine, he said, bears many similarities to Korean food. Both styles feature cooking pastes: Korean food features Gochujang, Doenjang and Ssamjang pastes, while Mexican food features Mole paste. Both Mexican and Korean cooking frequently feature a protein, vegetables, and some kind of sauce. While Mexican cuisine uses a taco as a vessel, Korean cuisine uses a lettuce wrap instead.
Kim first saw Korean-Mexican taco spots on the west coast and decided he wanted to bring one here.
“I think it’s definitely very unique in Columbus,” he said.
Kim originally opened TaKorea as a ghost kitchen in the Columbus Food Hall at 1282 Essex Ave.
The Buddha Bowl space where Kim is now serves as a home base of sorts for both of his food ventures.
He prepares TaKorea’s Koreanstyle barbecue tacos in the kitchen space at Buddha Bowl. Customers can pick up their tacos there, but Kim also from Thursday through Saturday takes his tacos to Oddfellows Liquor Bar at 1038 N. High St. →
Bibimbap ↓
Korean fried chicken, Chap-Chae, and spicy pork tacos ↑
Tossing rice in a wok pan ↓
Spicy pork tacos, Bulgogi Tacos, Korean fried chicken, and Chap-Chae ↑
Chap-Chae ↓
Though the ghost kitchen model has helped Kim break into the food scene as an owner, he admits the arrangement doesn’t come without its challenges. While ghost kitchens allow their owners to focus solely on the food, producing sustainable businesses can be challenging. For one, rent can be high—which was one of the primary reasons for his exit from the Essex Avenue space. It can also be hard to gain a foothold in the market without a brick and mortar location.
“It’s hard to get our name out there,” he said.
Kim is also using Buddha Bowl’s kitchen for his new concept, Seoulful, which leans into his roots with traditional Korean fare. In addition to Korean fried chicken, Kim is offering a few different types of Korean soup, along with bibimbap. The goal, he said, is to share traditional Asian foods in an approachable way. He wants to make the spot a permanent home for Seoulful with the potential for dine-in service.
For now, Seoulful will be open for dine-in service every Sunday, the day of the week when Buddha Bowl doesn’t operate.
“I hope that I can do more dine-in in the future,” he said.
One of the biggest reasons for opening a restaurant is the opportunity to witness people enjoying your food, Kim said. As a ghost kitchen owner, “I only get to see the reviews,” he said.
But Seoulful offers the potential for Kim to carve out a space for himself. A resident of Ohio for 20 years, Kim wants to bring quality food to Columbus.
“It’s kind of my home now,” he said. “I want to contribute to this in a way that I know how.” ♦
To learn more, visit takoreacolumbus.com
