Jian Korean BBQ Restaurant Construction

The Story of Jian Korean BBQ Restaurant Construction

Jian Korean BBQ Restaurant, we were instructed and commissioned to build a new concept of Korean BBQ near the Beverly Hill area.  

The owner of this restaurant is one of the richest conglomerate company in South Korea (Poongsan Corporation -풍산), and wanted to reflect their idea of a Korean restaurant.

The new concept of Korean BBQ Restaurant should be hip and high-vibe, but also reflect the Korean architecture and design of the old buildings of Korea.

The client seeks the ideal location for their new Korean BBQ restaurant, targeting affluent patrons who are open to embracing a new culinary experience from a foreign country.

They also desire a logo and brand design that embodies Diversity, Inclusion & Equity, encompassing various cultures under one umbrella.

Recognizing the benefits of hiring a local design and construction company, they have chosen Domi-Interior Inc (Owned by MetroEcom Inc) due to our capacity to manage all aspects of the project and minimize conflicts that may arise from engaging multiple entities.

Since we built 28 restaurants and cafes, we have witnessed many failures and successes among our clients. 

Some of the restaurants and cafes were surprisingly successful and some of the restaurants and cafes were surprising failures, although they had everything in their arsenal.

What are the requirements to have successful restaurants and cafes?

Based on our opinions, here are requirements.

• Location, location and location (Foot Traffic, Parking Space, Vehicle movements and Local Demographic)
• Find the correct Zoning (The most important)
• Find the correct Real Estate (not hire from friend lists)
• Find the correct Architect (not hire from friend lists)
• Find the correct General Contractor (not enough experiences on hospitality design and build)
• Correct Design of layout (Kitchen, Bar, Dining, Restroom, Storage and Entrance to the restaurant)
• Staff (Trained, Hierarchical, Well-mannered and Background checked)
• Manuals (Operation Manual, Staff Manual, Emergency Manual, and Contingency Manual)
• Advertisement (Social Media, Publication Media and Movie Media)
• Right Access to fresh ingredients (Food tastes matter)

There are more requirements for running a successful restaurants.  We will keep updating it more.

Developing the concept of Korean BBQ Restaurant

The client's requirements were hip and high-vibe, but also reflect the Korean architecture and design of the old buildings in Korea, and should promote Diversity, Inclusion & Equity to bring all the different cultures into one umbrella.

We were developing the brands, concepts and design of the new Korean restaurant while scouting the location of the place.

The name "JIAN"

The name "JIAN" was given by investors who were Korean Japanese.

The name Jian is a Japanese female unisex name that means "neutral".   

A neutral name meaning "talent" or "wealth," in Korean.  The meaning of the name "Jian" is: "Strong; healthy".

If you look at the character of Jian, he does not look like a Korean at all. The typical Korean has slanted eyes and a lighter color skin.

Also, the helmet of armor does not reflect the typical Korean helmet. The Korean armor helmet does not have a horn on the side of the helmet.

Bring the Korean architecture and design of the old buildings of Korea to Beverly Hills

Philosophy Behind the Jian Design by Domi Interior Inc

Han-Ok is the traditional house in Korea.

The Korean people's way of life was primarily expressed in the Korean Houses and Clothes.

Traditional Korean buildings, Han-Ok, used a delicate streaming of lines and architectural patterns that simulated natural angles.

It brings softness and harmony to the curvature of nature, and harmonizes the human spirit with the living quarter.

The client aims to go beyond the conventional approach of reflecting cultural perspectives solely on the exterior of the restaurant.

They emphasize the importance of the Korean tradition of family dining in a harmonious garden setting, which nurtures strong family bonds and teaches respect for elders. 

With the goal of bringing families and friends together to experience Korean culture, they have chosen to incorporate the serene and natural elements of a traditional Korean house, known as Han Ok, within the restaurant's interior design.

Location of Jian Korean BBQ

Demographic Research

When opening a restaurant, prioritizing customers is crucial. 

However, it's essential to question whether we are targeting the right demographics. 

Many restaurants fail due to owners not conducting thorough research or relying on inaccurate data to attract their target customers. 

Before diving into specifics about our restaurant's location, it is beneficial to understand the broader trends and dynamics within the restaurant industry.

This broader perspective not only helps us analyze consumer demographics effectively but also prepares us for potential discoveries and insights along the way.

Be aware of the important facts of restaurants as you start a demographic adventure to your restaurant:

• According to Forbes, millennials spend 44 percent of their money on food.
• According to Zagat, issues such as poor service, loudness, high pricing, and large crowds have a negative impact on diners.
• According to the Zagat study, 83 percent of respondents said they would or had planned trips around eating at a specific restaurant.
• Millennials spend $163 a month on eating out, but just 6% of millennials do not dine out on a monthly basis.
• According to Zagat, 52 percent of guests make bookings online.

Try to answer to know exactly who our consumers are:

• Who's your best current client?
• What is their customer lifetime value?
• How old are they?
• They're men or women?
• Have they children?
• Are they married?
• Dine in a group typically?
• Where do they live?
• How do they spend their money?
• Aren't they frugal or lavish, or fall between them somewhere?
• How can they compare their purchases with your typical meal?

If you want to further refine the profile of your target audience, this kind of profound study is crucial.

We have decided to build our new Korean BBQ restaurant near Beverly Hills.

We picked the best location based on our market research.

It is one of the most attractive areas where many of the entertainment industries are located.  

It is close to Beverly Hills, Beverly Mall, West Hollywood, a large population of LGBTQ Community, and the most diverse community in Southern California.

Also, the best thing about this location was the entrance of the building faced the busiest intersection in the area.  

And the traffic light often stops all the vehicles to advertise without spending a dime.

Good and Bad about this property

Amazing Location:  

An outdated property needs a lot of updates:

This was a City's headache Property:

Also, the real estate agent told us that it was owned by the brother of the singer Madonna, who is causing a lot of problems with neighbors and the city agency.   

When you look at the surroundings of this property, you see many multi-units located near by.

There are a high number of people who are single and love to dine out in walking distance.  

But the draw back of predications is noise complaints to the city and strict city enforcement related to opening hours.

Securing Parking for Patrons:

It is a city code to secure a particular number of parking spaces depending on square feet and the number of customers seating in your restaurant.

Because this property shares a parking lot with other shop owners, we have to find overflow parking for the restaurant.  

Fortunately, there are many companies who are handling this kind of issue full time.

We found an adjacent property with enough parking and hired a valet service to help with the parking.

Bad Real Estate Agent:

It is highly recommended to consult with a real estate lawyer before finalizing any lease agreements.

Doing so can allow for better negotiation of terms and the inclusion of specific criteria for running your business.

The additional cost of over $200,000 incurred during the building phase serves as an example of the importance of carefully reviewing lease agreements. Notably, it is beneficial to inquire about construction subsidies from landlords and consider structuring the lease to begin after the restaurant opens.

Major chains like Cheesecake Factory and Starbucks often request construction cost coverage from landlords, as it can be advantageous for both parties. Negotiating lease terms, such as the start date, can be advantageous.

Engaging a real estate lawyer also helps in preparing for potential disputes. 

Adequate parking space is crucial for a successful restaurant on a busy strip like Los Angeles mall. A previous client even utilized a clause to suspend lease payment for an extended period before reaching a settlement with the retail mall.

Three Type of Construction Development

There are three types of construction management.

• Design to Build
• Design to Bid Build
• Construction Management

Design to Bid Build

If you are remodeling a house or building a small café, you often hire an architect and a contractor separately.  

Let the architect design and draw the blueprint and submit it to the city for approval.  

And you shop for the general contractor to do the job. This is called design to Bid Build

But when it comes to commercial property development, the time is very critical and it can make or break your business before you open the place.   

It is determined by how you organize your lease agreement.  

You must engage an architect and complete the building in a timely manner.

Because of the time restraint, the design of the Bid Build model is not suitable for a commercial development or restaurant construction.

Design to Build

Hired under a single contract, the construction manager and the design professional combine services to provide the owner a single point of accountability for the entire project.  

The design-build entity is responsible for delivering both the design documents (plans and specs) and completing construction according to the owner’s program requirements.  

We were hired by clients based on this contract for Jian Korean BBQ.

Construction Management

Construction Management starts with the owner engaging a building manager at an early stage to offer pre-construction services working with the architect and/or engineer to develop a project program, building viability, scheduling and benchmarking budgets in a collaborative team atmosphere.

As the project cannot be fully developed at the start of construction, the Construction Management usually delivers construction services at a cost plus cost, with a guarantee maximum price occasionally included (GMP).

The owner has with the architect and/or the engineer a separate contract.

Designing and 3D schematics for better understanding

Measurement of existing space.

Never totally trust the architect if you are the general contractor.

General Contractor has to know how to do the architectural drawings too

Demolition of Old Restaurant

Before you demolish the old places, it is very important to check all the electrical wires, gas pipes, and bearing walls of the property. 

You have to make sure it will not affect the structure of the property while demolishing the wall.

Secure the pedestrian walkway and break In

Make certain that the whole building site is fenced in with chain link.

We also need to seal up any gaps that might allow unlawful entrance into the property.

When you begin a construction project without fencing it off, you are inviting break-ins to take materials and equipment from within the property.

In addition, the homeless can break in and start a fire to warm themselves and cause a fire on the property.

Some pedestrians may be injured as a result of the hazardous surroundings.

You may be the subject of a lawsuit.

Interior Problem of Korean BBQ Restaurant

The popularity of Korean BBQ is on the rise due to the enjoyable experience of grilling meat yourself, which is a relatively new concept in the western world. Similar to traditional backyard BBQ parties in America, DIY BBQ brings friends and family together, as there is a special meaning in serving freshly grilled meat to loved ones rather than simply dining at a steakhouse where the chef prepares the meal.

However, grilling meat indoors can result in customers' clothes retaining a BBQ aroma. Additionally, the large size and complex ducting system that covers the ceiling can pose challenges for creative interior designers, as it may obstruct their vision for the space's aesthetic design.

Solution of complex ceiling ducking system

The concept of Jian Korean BBQ Restaurant was to introduce beautiful Han-Ok to patrons and create an atmosphere where you are seated in the court yard of a traditional Korean house.

To be able to do so, the ceiling ducking system that is blocking the interior space has to go! or go under ground.

Let's Go Under ground

North Koreans are known for their proficiency in building underground tunnels, acknowledged by the UN and the State Department.

While South and North Korea have been engaged in a 70-year war, amassing military arsenals to potentially annihilate each other, our intention is simply to cook meat in a building.

We have opted to create an intricate underground system for our Korean BBQ restaurant.  It's worth noting that we are not North Koreans ourselves.

Problems with Building an Underground System like North Korean

When we proposed this new concept to the city of Los Angeles, they were very curious about our design and how we were going to complete the task while fulling all the city and fire department codes.

There are many Korean BBQ and Japanese restaurants where all the smoke goes under the table, but what we proposed to the city was first attempt.

The planning department, the engineer department, the fire department, and the civil engineering department were all extremely helpful and eager to be involved to see how we were doing this task.  

Because Korean BBQ and cooking inside the building was fairly new, and I believe they were examining us to prepare for a new city code addressing the hood system.

There are 5 requirements we need to solve

1. Not to burn down the building
2. Stop the fire from spreading to the next building and do not burn it down.
3. When the fire alarm goes off, the system turns off the air flowing in and pushes air out.
4. When the fire alarm goes off, the fire extinguisher system within the tunnel activates.
5. In addition, they must clean and dispose of the grease trap in the tunnel.

Jian clients prepare their orders on separate gas grills, as do many real Korean BBQ restaurants.

With a cooking unit at each of the 31 tables, the likelihood of a crowded dining area grows dramatically.

Review the MEPs: mechanical, electrical, and plumbing

This is essential before a space is ever rented or purchased.

Maybe the MEPs are gone so far you are going to decide on another site.

However, you can build up a reasonable budget by accessing MEPs.  

For instance, tens of thousands can blow through the budget from an outdated HVAC system.

Gas connection may take months in major bureaucratic cities such as Los Angeles, We  utilizes electricity only to spare customers from expensive gas delays.

Check the certificate of occupancy before signing a lease (CO).

The area can be utilized for this purpose.

If it is not permitted, it might be costly, time consuming or, in certain circumstances, impossible to change a food and beverage facility.

We knew we needed a strong and adaptable kitchen ventilation system, so we went to bespoke metal fabrication.

We are the leading provider of kitchen ventilation equipment. 

Unlike businesses who just make hoods or exhaust fans, we are the only company that makes every component of their kitchen ventilation system.

Because every piece of equipment is intended to operate together, they have an advantage in terms of performance.

In most restaurant kitchens, a hood is located directly over the chef's cooking zone, eliminating smoke, oil, and heat from the grill or stove.

In Korean BBQ restaurants, each table often has a tiny hood protruding from the ceiling, which is similar in principle.

For two reasons, this would not work in Jian's instance.

The first and most crucial reason is permission.

If the equipment is not UL listed, it poses a permitting issue.

The second reason is because Jian's dining room has unusually high ceilings.

The proprietors of Jian chose not to use hoods for aesthetic and logistical reasons.

 Instead, they used tiny downdraft cooktops for each of the tables.

Wood Dining Tables Restaurant

As part of furniture sets specific to each of our restaurants, our customized dining tables are available.

The restaurant tables and the collections center on the style, wood and finishing of the table.

 Do you want a wood table recovered?  

All you need is our reclaimed barn wood dining tables and old pine dining tables.

Would you want a more polished look?  Check out our dining tables in Hampton, Country Classics and Carolina Coastal.

Country Farm Tables provide rustic farmhouse tables in pine, maple and oak with a complete table top choice.

Build a Waterfall Feng Shui for Restaurant

You might call it superstition or believe in a mystery, but most Asian cultures include some of the ancient traditions into the construction of modern structures.

In feng shui, water fountains are commonly utilized to bring positive energy into houses, rooms, and other locations.

The location of a water fountain provides good feng shui, therefore following a few principles and guidelines will help you make the most of it.

We had to chose to replicate the waterfall with lumber because we didn't want an actual water fall installed inside the restaurant.

Idea behind the Wood Waterfall

A wooden fountain, for example, strengthens the element of fire while weakening the element of soil.

The eastern sector of a space is auspicious for supporting family and strengthening health, while the southeast sector is auspicious for supporting wealth and abundance.

If you have too much earth energy, a wooden fountain can be placed in the southwest corner of a room to balance it out.

Equipment

The renovation cost of the restaurant, including all appliances such as burners and expresso machines, may be a big budget item.

In an average of around $75,000, or $80 a square-foot, Restaurant Owner's study showed a 1,000-square feet of cooking and bar including equipment.

Because the grease, smoke, and heat were being drawn directly down, the ducting had to be underground rather than overhead, and it had to be built of specified materials: 18 gauge stainless steel or welded black iron encased in concrete.

With such a large job, we would either need all of the ducting custom-made or employ a firm that manufactures prefabricated ductwork.

Once the air has been taken from the restaurant, it must be replenished. 

This is known as make-up air.

Make-up air is often given at the same location from where it was withdrawn, which is normally directly in front of the hood.  

In Jian's case, this would imply blowing make-up air right up from the dining table, which would be inconvenient for visitors.

We needed to think beyond the box.

We manufacture what is known as a Dedicated Outdoor Air System, or DOAS.

Two DOAS machines atop Jian's roof support four fan sections, each of which vents a cooktop portion.

When a fan section is activated, fresh air is drawn in from outside the restaurant to replace the air that is being evacuated.

Depending on the time of year, the fresh air is next filtered and either heated or chilled and dehumidified.

Properly treating that air guarantees that the dining room remains absolutely pleasant, regardless of how many or how few cooktops are in use at any given moment.

This also ensures that restaurant clients will never leave the establishment smelling like food!

The Jian project's HVAC section took approximately 2 months to complete.

Fortunately, even with our specific demands and bespoke ductwork, we have a six-week lead time.

Throughout the project, we collaborated closely with their local service suppliers to ensure that everything ran well.  

Local servicing is also advantageous to the restaurant owner since using us for maintenance increases the life of the system and its components guarantee.

My final thought

When contemplating the opening of a new restaurant, my foremost sentiment is one of unwavering enthusiasm.

I find great joy in the process of creating something remarkable from scratch, regardless of the size of the space I have at hand.

To me, every new establishment represents a cherished endeavor akin to nurturing a newborn.

Establishing a new restaurant typically requires a time investment of 6 to 1 years, during which countless hours are dedicated to its realization.

Considering that the average lifespan allows people to thrive well into their 70s or 80s, committing 25 to 30 years of my professional career to this venture translates to dedicating approximately 10% of my life.

This realization fuels my relentless pursuit of flawlessness, as I strive to create an establishment that surpasses expectations.

One day, as my brother and I observed a crane carefully lifting the air conditioning equipment onto the rooftop, I couldn't help but marvel at the unlikely odds of our success. Two brothers from Korea, embarking on a multimillion-dollar project in the prestigious neighborhood of Beverly Hills - it felt like we were living out a fantastical tale!

Life, ultimately, revolves around crafting lasting memories.

It is my sincere hope that both our patrons and their guests will share in this extraordinary experience.

These are sigma of Korean palaces.