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Jae Kim

Founder at Chi'Lantro

Jae Kim is the Owner and Founder of Chi'Lantro LLC, an award-winning Korean BBQ-inspired restaurant based in Austin, Texas.12 He started the business in February 2010 as a food truck, using his total savings of $30,000 and maxing out his credit cards to pursue his dream of running a Korean Tex-Mex fusion food business.24

Born in Korea, Kim moved to the United States at the age of eleven.4 He founded Chi'Lantro with a vision to reinvent traditional Korean and Mexican cuisine, creating a unique fusion of flavors.1 The name "Chi'Lantro" is derived from two cultural staples: Kimchi and Cilantro.1

Under Kim's leadership, Chi'Lantro has grown from a single food truck to multiple restaurants, food trucks, and trailers in Austin.3 The business is known for its signature dish, The Original Kimchi Fries, which has been featured in Food and Wine magazine, Cooking Channel, and Food Network.2

Kim's entrepreneurial journey includes:

  1. Starting his first business, Foothill Cafe, at age 21.4
  2. Launching Chi'Lantro as a food truck in 2010.2
  3. Expanding to brick-and-mortar restaurants, with the first one opening in 2015.5
  4. Appearing on ABC's Shark Tank in 2016, where he initially secured a deal with Barbara Corcoran, but later decided not to move forward with it.5

Kim's success with Chi'Lantro has made him a notable figure in the Austin food scene, and he continues to grow the business while inspiring other immigrant entrepreneurs.6

Highlights

Aug 2 · foodrepublic.com
Chi'Lantro: Here's What Happened After Shark Tank - Food Republic
Chi'Lantro Korean BBQ Shark Tank Season 8
May 20 · fox7austin.com
Chi'Lantro CEO hopes to inspire other immigrant entrepreneurs
Jae Kim - Founder of Chilantro BBQ - JustinMcCullough.com
Apr 29 · qsrmagazine.com
5 Questions with Chi'Lantro Founder Jae Kim - QSR Magazine

Related Questions

What inspired Jae Kim to combine Korean and Mexican cuisine?
How did Jae Kim manage to secure funding for Chi'Lantro?
What are some of the challenges Jae Kim faced when starting Chi'Lantro?
How did Jae Kim's experience in the coffee shop industry influence his decision to start Chi'Lantro?
What makes Chi'Lantro's Kimchi Fries so popular?
Jae Kim
Jae Kim, photo 1
Jae Kim, photo 2
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Location

Austin, Texas, United States