Simon Kim is a renowned restaurateur and entrepreneur, known for his upscale Korean dining concept Cote. Here are some key points from our conversation with him:
**Cote's Unique Selling Point**
* Cote combines Korean culinary heritage with the rigor of French fine dining and the theatricality of New York hospitality.
* The restaurant has a Michelin-starred format that can be replicated across markets like Las Vegas, Miami, and Singapore.
**Expansion Strategy**
* Kim prioritizes cultural relevance, financial discipline, and creative risk when making decisions about new locations or concepts.
* He emphasizes the importance of delighting customers and focuses on creating clean-label options that are both delicious and healthy.
**550 Madison Project**
* 550 Madison is a multi-concept landmark occupying one of New York's most iconic buildings.
* The project allows Kim to attempt creative and operational endeavors that weren't possible in earlier restaurants, such as bringing together multiple concepts under one roof with esteemed partners like David Rockwell and Chef Yoshitake.
**Future Concepts**
* Kim hinted at QSR-style spin-offs and new concepts coming to 550 Madison, including clean-label options.
* He sees opportunities in the food industry, particularly in the clean-label space, where there is still room for innovation and growth.
Overall, Simon Kim's approach to hospitality emphasizes creativity, discipline, and a focus on delighting customers. His expansion strategy prioritizes cultural relevance, financial stability, and innovative ideas, while his future concepts aim to further elevate the dining experience in New York City.
**Cote's Unique Selling Point**
* Cote combines Korean culinary heritage with the rigor of French fine dining and the theatricality of New York hospitality.
* The restaurant has a Michelin-starred format that can be replicated across markets like Las Vegas, Miami, and Singapore.
**Expansion Strategy**
* Kim prioritizes cultural relevance, financial discipline, and creative risk when making decisions about new locations or concepts.
* He emphasizes the importance of delighting customers and focuses on creating clean-label options that are both delicious and healthy.
**550 Madison Project**
* 550 Madison is a multi-concept landmark occupying one of New York's most iconic buildings.
* The project allows Kim to attempt creative and operational endeavors that weren't possible in earlier restaurants, such as bringing together multiple concepts under one roof with esteemed partners like David Rockwell and Chef Yoshitake.
**Future Concepts**
* Kim hinted at QSR-style spin-offs and new concepts coming to 550 Madison, including clean-label options.
* He sees opportunities in the food industry, particularly in the clean-label space, where there is still room for innovation and growth.
Overall, Simon Kim's approach to hospitality emphasizes creativity, discipline, and a focus on delighting customers. His expansion strategy prioritizes cultural relevance, financial stability, and innovative ideas, while his future concepts aim to further elevate the dining experience in New York City.
it's gonna be lit! He's really thinking outside the box by bringing together different concepts under one roof... I mean, who wouldn't wanna try a French-Korean fusion dish in an NYC landmark building? 
Also, clean-label options are super important for our health-conscious crowd 
can't wait to see what other innovative ideas he'll bring to the table!
! Simon Kim is on a whole new level with that multi-concept landmark idea. I mean, who else can bring together Michelin-starred dining, QSR-style spin-offs, and innovative clean-label options all under one roof? David Rockwell is low-key the real MVP behind this masterpiece 
. The future of food in NYC looks so lit!
I think it's really cool that Simon Kim is pushing the boundaries of Korean cuisine with French fine dining vibes 
. I love how he prioritizes clean-label options - people are getting more health-conscious and it's awesome that Cote is on the same page 
.
. One thing that's always on my mind is the future of food industry, how will we balance innovation with sustainability and customer delight? 
I'm low-key excited about the QSR spin-offs & clean-label options tho. Clean food = happy belly lol. Anyway, Simon Kim seems like a total boss w/ his focus on creativity, discipline & customer delight. Fingers crossed for more innovative concepts from him! 
. I mean, Simon Kim's got a winning formula with Cote and he's not afraid to take risks. QSR-style spin-offs? Genius! And clean-label options that are actually healthy? That's the wave of the future, fam 
. The fact that he's bringing in experts like David Rockwell is just icing on the cake 
. I'm all about seeing how these new concepts come together and if they can live up to Kim's high standards 
.
. Simon Kim's got a solid vision for his restaurants and it shows - he's not just about making bank, but also about serving up food that's both delicious and healthy 
on the whole thing. like, i love that he's trying to bring together different concepts under one roof - it sounds super cool 
. so maybe this is just another step up for him? 
i don't know, man... it's all just a bit too confusing for me 
. Simon Kim's got the vision, financials are on point, and he's all about keeping it fresh with those clean-label options 
!
The part that really caught my eye was the emphasis on clean-label options - it's crazy how much of a gap there is in the market for healthy and tasty food 
. Can't wait to see what other concepts Kim has up his sleeve, especially with this 550 Madison project... sounds like it's gonna be epic! 
. btw did you know in NYC, the average foodie spends around $64 per meal? that's a lot of cash 
? seriously though idk if thats gonna work but i love how passionate simon kim is about his vision for clean-label options maybe we'll finally see some healthy food that actually tastes good 
.
another foodie icon is getting into the 550 Madison project 
Kim's got some Michelin stars under his belt, but what about when they run out of money 
. I mean, a Michelin-starred concept that's gonna make waves across multiple markets? 
That's what I call smart business move! 
And those collaborations with David Rockwell and Chef Yoshitake? 
. That's some serious growth potential!