Seoul Sausage
When most people think of Korean BBQ, they think of a sit-down restaurant with a built-in charcoal grill, an endless assortment of side dishes, and of course, juicy marinated meat. Founded by brothers Yong and Ted Kim, along with Chef Chris Oh, Seoul Sausage Company has become a premier force behind cutting edge Korean BBQ. After winning The Great Food Truck Race on Food Network, the trio brought their then-little known catering company and took LA's food truck and Korean BBQ scene by storm with their flavor-packed sausage sandwiches. Built on the mantra of bringing Korean food in a presentable package to the masses, these "princes of Korean BBQ" have now branched out from sausage sandwiches by adding items such as Galbi Poutine and Flaming Rice Balls to the menu. With its growing popularity and new TV show in Korea, Seoul Sausage Company is slowly becoming an empire. In this episode of LUCKYINSIDER, we delve into the minds of the trio behind the multi-faceted Korean BBQ culinary enterprise:
LUCKYRICE: How did Seoul Sausage begin? Why sausages?
Seoul Sausage: We love sausages and Korean BBQ. So naturally, two became one.
LUCKYRICE: Seoul Sausage presents Korean cuisine and flavors through foods Americans are familiar with – why was this important to you guys? What is unique about your take on Korean food?
Seoul Sausage: Seoul Sausage is a natural reflection of who we are. We grew up with traditional Korean food that our mothers cooked for us at home, but were also inspired by the foods we would eat with our friends when we hung out. Korean food is definitely one of the hottest foods these days, but there are still plenty of people who have not tried kimchi or Korean BBQ. Beyond sausages though, we are getting recognized for our burgers, fried chicken, and our flaming fried rice balls. Little kids love those balls!
LUCKYRICE: You guys just wrapped filming for your Korean TV show, “What Should I Eat Today?” Tell us about the food scene you experienced in Korea.
Seoul Sausage: The show was awesome because it really gave us a chance to test our flavors out in Korea. We never thought Korean people would gravitate towards our food because technically, we’re using their flavors. The two hosts were confused about whether our food was Korean or American and, in the end, just smiled and said it was really good. We went on the show to promote our new show “One Shot” so please keep an eye out for that as well!
LUCKYRICE: Korean culture has quickly become very mainstream – from K-pop to Korean BBQ to Korean beauty products – why do you think Americans are so enamored?
Seoul Sausage: Korean people are very passionate and prideful. Sometimes a bit too superficial at times, but look at our history: we’ve had to overcome a lot. For food, we have bold ingredients and powerful flavors that have been passed down from our grandmothers to where we are now. It truly is a great time for people to discover and explore foods beyond just Korean BBQ.
LUCKYRICE: Is your food borne out of LA food culture? What if you were in NY, or Texas, or even San Francisco? How would that influence what you’re cooking?
Seoul Sausage: We all grew up in a tiny town called Cupertino so I think our food reflects who we are more than where we are from. We love the West Coast!
LUCKYRICE: If you each had to pick one Korean dish you could not live without, what would it be?
Yong Kim: Kkakkdoogee (Korean pickled radish) Ted Kim: Gogi (Meat) Chris Oh: Soju