Interview with Afred from K-Elements BBQ
K-Element BBQ (est. 2017)
2140 Clement Street, San Francisco
Alfred Lee, Owner
What made you decide to open a Korean restaurant? How did you get started?
Opening a restaurant was my parents’ dream. But due to job loss, their dream was put in the rear-view mirror, as they had to work multiple jobs to help support our family. Therefore, I have always wanted to open a restaurant to help them fulfill their dream. I personally don’t have a cooking background, but my mom has always made wonderful meals at home for our family.
What was your biggest challenge in opening your restaurant?
Not coming from the restaurant industry was the most difficult part of opening a restaurant. It took us 20 months from lease signing to welcoming customers to get all the necessary permits. We were one of the first restaurants in SF to have a state-of-the-art down-draft cooking table, which made the permitting process that much harder.
Were there any memorable moments in running your restaurant that you’d like to share?
The most memorable moment during the past 3 years is being able to use our presence to help others. We have partnered with Alamo Elementary School to allow the students to grow plants in the planters at the front of our restaurant for their science class. We have also started an annual tradition of providing a Thanksgiving lunch for low-income seniors and have been donating to many schools in the Richmond District.
Tell us about your menu and whether you have any specialty items.
Our Kalbi with our special sauce and brisket is definitely the favorite of all of our customers. We have actually gone to the farm/packing company and had a sit-down meeting to source specific types of meat.
What motivated you to participate in the Senior Meal Delivery Program?
We wanted to continue our giving to seniors. We wish we can continue the program even after COVID-19 passes as we would like to see an organization like SF New Deal continue to help out the ones in need.
How have you adjusted to the challenges of running a restaurant during these difficult Coronavirus times and what are your plans for the future?
Even though we are losing money every day, we believe in helping our staff. We hope that by staying open for take-out, we would be able to provide a source of income for our staff and for their families. During these difficult times, we all need to help each other by lending a hand.
