Sunhee's Farm and Kitchen opened in 2016 and serves "Good Korean Food". I have watched this small company grow and adapt since their inception, and am impressed with their link to the community in Troy, New York and the Capital Region in general. This article takes a deeper dive into some topics not covered in prior interviews about Sunhee's, and was conducted in person with Jinah Kim (Owner) on June 16, 2020.
Korea has an agricultural history that has continued for > 5,000 years. The history of Korea from Kochosun (古朝鮮) and the period of the Three States, including Kokuryo (高句麗), Baekje (百濟), Silla (新羅), to Koryo (高麗) and Chosun (朝鮮), maintained independence from China and developed a unique culture and language.
The development of food technology was prompted by the desire to preserve food resources. For example, in China, frying and pickling were the prevalent methods in reducing water content to protect against microbial spoilage of food. By contrast, the limited production of cooking oils in Korea led to the development of the fermentation process for food preservation, which utilizes effective microorganisms against microbial spoilage. Although milk was the main ingredient in fermented products, such as cheese and yogurt, in countries with strong livestock industries, the main ingredients in Korean fermented foods were grains and vegetables. This was due to their settled lifestyle and focus on agriculture. Korean food has developed from the necessity of preserving foods during the hot/humid summer and long harsh winter in the Korean peninsula characterized by rocky ocean fronts on the east, south, and west, and by rugged mountains pretty much everywhere.
Side dishes or banchan (반찬) are unique to Korean cuisine and deserves a separate long post if not book on the complexities. However, to boil it down, they are small accompaniments that offer a blend of flavors, colors, textures and aromas to the meal. They are not meant to be eaten in large quantities, and in fact often pair well with certain main dishes and liquors so small bites are best. These small dishes are powerful both literally and figuratively and used in the title of this article for symbolism.
Our conversation started out with my question on what are the key ingredients to forming a solid and lasting foundation in your work? Jinah replied about the mission or three pillars which include: positive food culture, community engagement, and immigrant and refugee empowerment. You can read more about these on their web site. https://www.sunhees.com/the-mission
Jinah commented that they recognize each individual as being part of the foundation, even though there is turnover. They try to create a culture that offers benefits where staff are invested, have a liked minded vision and work towards a common goal.
She noted that the mission has not changed in four years and further clarified a healthy living component includes eggs and select vegetables grown on their family farm. She sees food as an investment, which symbolizes longevity, but takes time to build the structure.
I was looking for some adjectives that come to mind outside of these pillars and she then noted integrity, generosity and consistency.
I then asked what experiences shaped her character and if any were in significant times of hardship. Jinah noted she learned a lot from her parents including her father studying to be a pastor, years after earning a MS degree in economics in the U.S., and her mother working 15 hour days in the dry cleaner. She got no allowance like other friends who received such for doing next to nothing every week. As a clever child, she presented her mother with a piece of paper after one year showing how much allowance she was owed. Her mother was more stoic and disciplined back then, but smiled and gave in. Jinah received two $20 crisp bills and was thrilled so she bought Pokémon cards.
These experience shaped her as she thought about the about sacrifices made by her family, and how they have lived in time of great need. She noted that generosity often comes when you have very little, not when you have a lot.
My next question was what is the biggest one or two obstacles for refugees in the U.S. these days? Jinah said besides the textbook answers of finding a job and learning English, is the uncertainty and fear and how long you have to wait. This has not changed in years. The infinite and complex paperwork, and waiting in camps, creates a cloud of uncertainty. When you are stressed, it makes it hard to do things. It is also the small things like being told to "wait until we call you" while standing in a line which gnaws at the human dignity. The backlog is very long and the reality of family separation is heart breaking.
I asked if she finds a large portion of people in the Capital District are immigrants or refugees from a handful of countries or numerous these days. She commented that there are currently more people from say Burma and Afghanistan, but many from Iran decades ago. West Africans from Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo often have work visas now. Some Latinos and even a handful of Koreans can be undocumented, while most are documented. Jinah noted that many are skeptical of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) especially if they have kids and can’t get a job.
We talked about how outreach to immigrant communities is conducted. She said they exhaust all avenues including personally reaching out to contacts to check in and even delivering care packages door to door. It takes time and money, while larger groups like churches have been a great resource in that they themselves have a core immigrant community composition.
My next question on whether she is an advocate of a minimum wage rate sparked passion, concern and what I sense is a little frustration. She is completely in favor of such, but said it will still not solve the problem as taxes and worker's compensation for smaller businesses (less than 50 people) is so expensive, few options to choose from, and little received in return. Sunhee's pools tips and does other things to help create a package of perks for staff, but it is a major challenge. They currently offer shift meals for free, give free housing for properties she owns and gift card every month to staff. Sunhee's offers training to management staff and English classes for everyone and hopes they can offer some form of tuition reimbursement in the future. Jinah also noted there is an organization called Re Think Restaurants that is analyzing the financial details for restaurants and other businesses, and hopefully can help drive policies and change that relieves the burden for small businesses in New York State, especially with the pandemic.
We talked about what things have been done well and those that could be improved since opening in 2016.
She started with what could be improved and noted that the business is closely threaded with her own identity and hard to separate her personal life. She initially thought she could let the business run itself, but then it would be less special like Chipotle or other chains/franchises. Jinah is still engaged in details on how food is prepped and the business side of things.
She is starting law school this fall and will have less time to be so involved, so it will force more delegation to staff. This can be challenging, as they can have transitional staff who are not invested in the long term, but currently have 3 full time and 2 part time staff for management. She does not groom staff, but says they grow together, learning and teaching each other. They also have a fellowship program for emerging entrepreneurs who want to learn the workings of a restaurant.
On the things done well, Jinah believes she is a natural teacher, is proud of her English classes and the community built with staff and other small businesses she has had the pleasure to work with and assist in marketing such as the Brown Butter Bakery and Quang Vietnamese Bistro. She believes she is good at adapting and knowing what people’s needs are. During the pandemic, she started a Go Fund me page and found that random people gave donations up to $10,000. This was unexpected, but the support came back around full circle and she is very grateful.
I asked if she could describe herself as a tree, what would it be and why. She commented a maple with wide reaching branches and lots of leaves. A maple digs deep into the core, and like it, goes through phases with its foliage. Ironically, the Giving Tree is one of her favorite children's books. Jinah also noted how sacrifice has been a defining factor in the expression of love which I found poignant.
I expressed that one of the most basic premises in Buddhist philosophy is to live in the present and then asked what are some daily moments she enjoys each day. Jinah noted she is more a mix of being in the present and future, tries to be engaging, but not anxious. She really enjoys people’s company during English classes, and just likes the simple pleasures in life. For example, the day before this interview she made vegan burgers and just joked and laughed with her aunt on her birthday. Further, she noted that with food, you have to be in the present and savor things. Jinah likes to run by herself, so her thoughts can just flow or roam. She has actually completed four marathons, and running is her go to form of relaxation.
The interview ended with a discussion on what the future holds in terms of plans or thoughts. She said law school hopefully supplements with another layer of services she can provide by having legal teeth to mediate things, and also give faith or insight to help someone in easing their minds. Her long term goal after 3 years of law school plus working as an attorney to gain experience, is to just keep evolving with no set agenda. She wants to be able to adjust and respond very quickly because people-centric, and hopefully help small business be more efficient with some legal services.
Please stop by and support this and other local businesses during desperate times. Sunhee's is now offering outdoor dining and the mochi cakes from Brown Butter Bakery are not to be missed! You can order online...
In closing, I am a firm believer in diversity and proponent in the value immigrants bring to our communities. We should all consider looking at how many branches down our family tree until we reach an immigrant, and that in the spectrum of evolution, we are all much more in common than different.
Written by: Vincent L. Apa III
July 23, 2020