Jihee Kim
Perilla L.A. | Los Angeles
April 2024
Born into a family of restaurant owners, Jihee Kim always knew she wanted to work with food, but didn’t think she wanted to work in the industry. She left Korea and came to the United States when she was 20 and, despite her initial hesitations, enrolled in culinary school in San Francisco. Kim began working nights at Chef Phil West’s Range, learning about sourcing, before moving on to Michael Mina. In 2015, she left San Francisco and moved to Los Angeles. After a stage, Kim joined the team at Rustic Canyon, working under Rising Stars alum Jeremy Fox, where she continued to expand her knowledge of, and familiarity with, California produce. She worked every station in the restaurant and eventually decided she was ready for something new, so she traveled back home to Korea, and then to Japan.
When Kim returned to the States, she tried out a few different pop-up concepts before eventually settling on the idea for Perilla. While living in L.A., she developed a love for delis—both Jewish and Italian—and always found herself drawn to the side dishes, which reminded her of the Korean staple, banchan. She then asked the question, why aren’t there any banchan shops in L.A.? When the pandemic arrived, Kim began selling banchan and gimbap out of her apartment but, after only a few weeks, the demand became overwhelming. She started working out of empty restaurant kitchens, and then out of an art studio, until she found the location for her current brick-and-mortar in Victor Heights, which opened in 2022. With a focus on seasonal banchan and prepared meals, Kim’s takeout counter operates out of a converted garage and, despite the limited space, brings skill, precision, and an appreciation for both Korean dishes and California produce to her menu.
