SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Anna Chung, one of the four owners of the Korea House restaurant may be new to the city but she's definitely not a stranger to the economics of running a business. She was just surprised how many people here already knew what to order.

Lucy Son, left, and Anna Chung, general manager of the Korea House restaurant stand in front of their front counter. The two partnered with Lucy's son, former city councillor Phil Moon Son, and his wife, Catherine Son, for the venture. - Karen K. Ho/NNSL photo

"Yellowknife people already know about Korean food," she said with a grin. "I don't have to explain. Most people come from outside of the city."

After months of construction, delays and trips to Edmonton to source supplies, Korea House opened on Nov. 18. Chung said business started off strong.

"Boom like that," she said, snapping her finger with a big grin. "Usually when you open a new business you need time to build up. But here everyone knows. So I like that."

"Yellowknife people are very friendly," she said.

Chung said in the four weeks since they opened, demand for the 14 traditional Korean items on the menu has become very steady during their operating hours from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

So far, Chung said demand for items featuring kimchi, the popular Korean food item made with spiced fermented cabbage, has been really high right from the start. However, sourcing enough to make it has been difficult since everything has to come from Edmonton.

"Kimchi is not like, right away like salad," she said. "It takes hours of preparation."

Chung hopes to expand the menu in the future with more items featuring kimchi, such as with pork, fried rice and pancakes.

Staff and ingredients difficult to source

Two of the biggest challenges for Chung and her three partners was staffing and consistently sourcing ingredients they used to easily find in Toronto.

"Everything, meat and all the ingredients, come from Edmonton or Vancouver," she said. "Or something is from Toronto. It takes time to bring it in and (is) a little bit expensive because of the delivery or shipping charge."

Sometimes this meant Chung and her staff had to wait due to a delay with suppliers. Other times, it meant realizing that none of the retailers in Yellowknife had enough of a specialty item in stock, such as Korean sticky rice.

"Everything we have to bring from outside of Yellowknife," she said. "Almost everything."

Chung said they also had to hire a chef from Toronto.

"Yellowknife people, maybe they have tried Korean food but they don't know how to make it," she said. "I cannot train people to make it right away."

Decades of experience on staff

Chung, the general manager, said she's had 25 years of business experience in Toronto, including a coffee shop in the city's Yorkville neighbourhood.

The idea for the new restaurant came about after Lucy Son, the mother of former city councillor Phil Moon Son, came to the city earlier this year to visit and see her grandchildren.

"She came to Canada almost 50 years ago and had all kinds of business experience," Chung said. "She was retired already. But we love Yellowknife."

Chung said Phil's wife Catherine suggested they open the restaurant.

"It was a good opportunity," she said.

While Chung said she easily works 13 hours a day, she's really happy so far.

"I love it."

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