FSR September 2022

RI S ING S TARS

fight quite a bit, but at the same time, we’re very open about that. Business is business, and family is family,” he says. “We both have the same mindset. We want to be suc cessful, and we want to accomplish certain things.” Just as family is the bedrock of the Dae Gee concept, it’s also serv ing as a guidepost for future expan sion. Earlier this year, the restaurant signed its first franchise agreement for two units in Amarillo, Texas. That deal was largely due to happenstance (a local business owner reached out to the brand), but Kim is targeting another market in particular. “The reason we decided to regis

Macarena Ludena AGE: 30 CHEF, OWNER CORA CORA WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT

CORA CORA

THE SECOND-GENERATION STAR Macarena Ludena has been in the family business for nearly a dozen years, and now at the helm, she’s taking it to new heights. Named for Ludena’s hometown, Cora Cora opened in 2011 and specializes in traditional Peruvian dishes. After working every posi tion, from busser to cevichera (ceviche maker), Ludena attended the Lincoln Culinary Institute to deepen her mastery and advance Cora Cora. Her efforts are bearing fruit, with both the restaurant and Ludena landing on the James Beard Awards semifinalist list for Outstanding Restaurant and Best Chef: Northeast.

DAE GEE KOREAN BBQ

ter in Hawaii is because my wife was born and raised on Oahu, and so we have a lot of ties to the island,” he says. “Korean barbecue is very popu lar there as well, and so we thought it would be a good fit, but I also think it’s personal reasons for wanting more excuses to be on the island.” This focus also coincides with an internal shift for the Dae Gee founder. In addition to the brand reaching its 10-year mark, Kim will hit a milestone of his own when, later this month, he turns 40. Look ing ahead to the next decade, he hopes to see Dae Gee ramp up its expansion, eventually hitting an average of 10 new units per year. The infrastructure is in place, the brand is ready, and so is Kim. “In my 20s, I was working 100 plus hours a week—just busy, busy,” he says. “In my 30s, I was building that foundation with the family. In my 40s, my desire is that we really ride the wave and see the growth.”

THE LEGACY CHEF Open since 1983, haute Creole fixture Commander’s Palace has a legend ary reputation to maintain, and Meg Bickford is up to the task. Bickford has been in her current role since 2020 and has spent over 12 years with Com mander’s family of brands—a period during which her career has never stopped evolving, thanks to a go-get ter attitude. “I liken being a chef to being a professional athlete,” she says. “You have to be dedicated, always practicing and honing your skills, and willing to push yourself to your limit.”

Meg Bickford AGE: 35 EXECUTIVE CHEF COMMANDER’S PALACE NEWORLEANS

COMMANDER'S PALACE