Kyungbin Min is a chef based in Los Angeles. He was born in Seoul, Korea, and immigrated with his family to SoCal where his aunt lived. He knew from an early age that his calling was in food service: as a child, he grew to love the instant gratification of being a part of dinner service, even if it it meant simply setting up plates at the table (even today, he says that it’s his customers’ positive reviews that “gives him the pump” to keep on going). He worked in restaurants right out of college, and after saving enough money paid his way through culinary school, after which he worked in a variety of kitchens, from fine dining to upscale casual. Though he enjoyed his time in culinary school, he says that it wasn’t necessary for him; the food he creates today, he says, is a mashup of what he learned in the kitchens with his own added flair. During the onset of the pandemic, he and his partners were furloughed, and so they set about starting their own food businesses: one of his partners started a meal prep company, while he and another partner together launched a dry aging meat company; everything, he says, was ecommerce. Soon, he opened “Hanchic,” which to his surprise was picked up by outlets such as Eater, Thrillist, and The Infatuation: what began as an ecommerce business soon turned into an outdoor patio, which then transitioned indoors. He owes the success of his enterprises to his community, which he tries to serve by introducing Korean flavors beyond the typical kbbq or kimbap that many are already familiar with. In acting as a middleman of sorts, he hopes more people will become comfortable ordering food from the “OG mom and pop” restaurants in L.A.’s Koreatown.
