Company Description
Chingu means “friend” in Korean. We want to create a fun, interactive, learning experience by bringing childhood favorites to life on our food menu. Guests will see our versions of popular street foods, elements of Korean bbq, and Korean homestyle cooking. “Anju” is our food vision, literally translated to “food with drink” - whether you want some bites with a drink or a full meal. We will pair our food with a full bar program with a curated selection of spirits, beers, and wines while highlighting soju (rice spirit) and makgeoli (rice wine). Our cocktails will be inspired by Korean and other Asian flavors.
Management Team / Advisory Board Bios
Keeyoung Kim
Chef & Operations
Keeyoung graduated from Northwestern University with a B.A. in Economics. He was part of the opening team of the firstPinstripesas a service trainer / training manual developer. At Pinstripes, he was responsible for coordinating, staffing and managing events with weekly sales of $20,000-$40,000. He was later the Manager/Micros Property expert of the opening team for the second Pinstripes location with weekly sales ranging from $50,000-$100,000. In addition, Keeyoung was part of the General Manager ofPinkberry Frozen Yogurtfor their opening in Cambridge, MA. Keeyoung opened his first restaurant, Sura Eats, in July 2016, and later opened his pop-up concept, Sura Noodle Bar, in 2020.
David Son
Accounting & Financials
David graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.S. in Finance. He began his career as an investment banker for Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc. working with retail, apparel, transportation, and logistics companies. David worked for eight years in private equity, investing in transactions ranging in value from $3 million to $800 million across a wide range of industries. Currently, David is helping lead M&A activities for a healthcare services company, in addition to his involvement as co-owner of Sura Eats and Sura Noodle Bar.
Danielle Lehman
Marketing
Danielle graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.A. in Communication. She has worked with numerous hospitality companies offering strategic marketing support and implementation. Danielle has been a part of 3 successfully funded restaurants on the Mainvest platform, all located in Kansas City, MO.
Frank Norton
Art Direction
Frank Norton is a graphic artist specializing in branding and illustration. Frank has built a reputation for creating provocative brands and telling stories through expressive illustration. He’s worked as an art director for Boulevard Brewing Co, a design professor at the Kansas City Art Institute, and is currently dedicated to running his own full-time creative studio based in Kansas City.
