How TaKorean Brings a Unique Fusion Concept to the 'Build Your Own Bowl' Market

TaKorean, the Korean and Latin-American fusion restaurant, has disrupted the ‘build your own’ landscape, offering both bowls and tacos, fully customizable with a level of freshness and bold flavors not available in other concepts.

“I was inspired by Kogi BBQ in LA, a hot food truck concept that Chef Roy Choi opened in the 2000s. I've eaten out there, and it's really delicious, His food and what he was doing is what inspired me to create Takorean,” explained Mike Lenard, the founder of TaKorean.

In a world of restaurants like CAVA, Sweetgreen and Chipotle, many diners are looking for other unique and delicious flavors in the ‘build your own’ model, and TaKorean fills this void with colorful, nourishing, made-fresh options.

With both taco and bowl options, guests can customize a meal with fresh slaws, including kimchi, romaine slaw and spiced kale, Korean-inspired proteins like chicken (dak galbi), steak (bulgogi), tofu (hoisin) and more, as well as a variety of add ons and toppings.

“Even though our flavors are probably not very familiar to some people, you can get behind them pretty quickly,” added Lukas Umana, president and COO of TaKorean.

While TaKorean continues to embrace Korean foods and flavors, they are incorporated in a way that does not feel intimidating to those who have never eaten more traditional Korean foods.

“TaKorean is one of the few fusion concepts that actually tastes good and is consistent, and it’s one of the few options that is Korean-esque without being 100% Korean, and it hits really hard in terms of food preferences,” explained Eric Lenard, TaKorean’s director of Development.

In a time when the demand for Asian and Mexican foods is high, and the interest in cultural fusion options is growing among younger crowds, TaKorean provides a culmination of all of these options that is hard to find anywhere else. According to Statista, Mexican and Asian cuisine are the first and second most popular ethnic food categories in the country, respectively.

Further, younger demographics of diners have expressed interest in expanding their experiences with cultural flavors. Convenient, innovative fusion cuisine like TaKorean delivers a cross-cultural experience that many consumers seek in a way that remains accessible to many.

The ‘build your own’ model provides an additional perk for both consumers and TaKorean owners. The demand for customization is high, and providing these options in the context of bowls and tacos allows for an assembly process that does not overcomplicate substitutions or exceptions. The bowl model, specifically, also creates a less intimidating way to try new flavors as guests can mix all parts of their bowl or try various combinations of the ingredients they have chosen.

“The rise of bowls is driven by operators offering ethnic food in fairly authentic ways, even if it is somewhat Americanized,” Maeve Webster, president of Menu Matters, told QSR. “There’s an interest in street food, with a lot of different ingredients and textures, and for us, bowls are easier to handle."

For franchisees, TaKorean’s model provides a unique restaurant option without overly complicated ingredients and preparation practices, specialized training or increased overhead costs. The brand’s leadership is not made up of classically trained chefs, so all of the processes have been developed in a way that is accessible and will make sense to owners who are motivated to succeed, regardless of if they have absolutely no culinary experience whatsoever.

“Our operational simplicity and availability to open second-generation stores make TaKorean a great fit for all operators and owners looking to add a great franchise to their portfolio,” Umana explained. “We believe so deeply in our systems and company culture that we are confident we can train any and all franchisees and their teams to run highly successful and profitable businesses that our communities will be proud of.”

Further, while many Asian food concepts require additional team training to master the ingredients, techniques and tools necessary to produce a given menu item, Mike developed the restaurant in a way that leverages Korean flavors while maintaining a level of simplicity that translates to employees and first-time diners.

Though Eric does have extensive culinary experience, the other members of the core leadership did not before TaKorean was launched in 2010. This creates an environment perfect for owners interested in developing a restaurant business, even if they have little to no experience or formal culinary training.

Mike explained that TaKorean is built on a culture of respect for each team member, an emphasis on customer experience, and a passion for quality food. Rather than seeking franchisees with extensive experience in franchising or restaurants specifically, TaKorean looks to owners interested in partnering with the brand to truly develop it and expand the reach, bringing the unique dining experience to more customers nationwide.

“It can be really hard to do great quality Asian concepts without getting really deep into specialized equipment and training,” Eric said. With freshly prepared menu items, TaKorean provides a light, nourishing option that, though made with efficient processes, does not sacrifice taste or quality. With fresh bright flavors, a simple and consistent system and a light, nourishing menu, TaKorean has found that balance.