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Meet Jiyoung Lee of Kitchen121

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jiyoung Lee

Hi Jiyoung, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Oh, it’s quite the ride! Back in 2012, I hopped on a flight to the U.S. thinking I was leaving my whole career behind in Korea. I had a promising future in broadcasting and even catered for the First Lady! But then, with my husband relocating and me choosing to become a full-time mom, I found myself missing the food scene more than I expected. The producers I used to work with kept asking when I’d return, and as their messages faded away, I felt pretty down.

Then, I stumbled upon Le Cordon Bleu in Atlanta. It was like a breath of fresh air! Even though I was worried about the language barrier, I found that cooking is a universal language. I threw myself into it and ended up graduating as the top student. From there, I got a shot in the kitchen at the Ritz-Carlton in downtown Atlanta. Starting from scratch again was a bit nerve-wracking, but I wanted to give it my all.

Even though my English wasn’t perfect, I could feel the love for my food from my colleagues and guests. It was so cool to see people appreciating my cooking more than me! That’s when the idea for Kitchen121 started. Back in Korea, I was all about the business side, but here, I just wanted to share simple, everyday joys through food. And yes, my mom always joked about me marrying a chicken restaurant owner because I loved chicken so much, and now here I am, frying up chicken! It feels great to do what you love.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Oh, it definitely wasn’t smooth sailing! When I first came to the U.S., I didn’t think I’d ever get back into the food biz. The language barrier was a huge challenge. At Le Cordon Bleu, everyone was a native English speaker and about a decade younger than me. At first, we had zero in common, but over time, we started to understand each other, and with their support, I graduated with honors.

One memorable day, my professor played an episode of “Yes Chef” from Korea, where I’d appeared. It was a bit embarrassing but also made me feel like I truly belonged. At the Ritz-Carlton, I had to come up with new soups and specials every day without any set recipes. My travels across Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean really helped me out, and I even snagged the Ritz-Carlton Five Star Award in record time!

Then, COVID hit, and things got really tough with staffing shortages. But thanks to my amazing team and our loyal customers, we managed to get through it.

As you know, we’re big fans of Kitchen121. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Kitchen121 is named after my birthday, January 21st. It’s all about bringing joy and enthusiasm to every dish we serve. In Korea, moms make special birthday meals for their kids, and I wanted to carry that spirit into my restaurant. It’s heartwarming to see so many guests, especially kids, celebrating their birthdays here. One time, a young customer even made a plate for us as a gift!

Back in Korea, I didn’t get to interact much with customers, so getting these thoughtful gifts now makes me incredibly happy.

What does success mean to you?
To me, success is when people keep coming back—our return rate is over 90%! It means my customers and I are both happy. There’s something so satisfying about sharing good food and seeing people enjoy it. Some customers even ask us to send our sauces home with them so they can enjoy them later.

Because of this, I’m thinking about opening more locations, something I hadn’t planned before. I’m also chatting with companies in Korea about making our sauces for a wider audience. It’s exciting to think about sharing my food with even more people. After all, happiness is all about sharing delicious experiences!

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