Kyungbin Min
Chef/Owner, hanchic | Los Angeles
June 2021
2021 StarChefs Los Angeles Rising Stars Award Winner
Born in Korea and raised in Los Angeles, Kyungbin “Justin” Min decided in high school that he wanted to be a chef. Although his parents disapproved at first, Min proved his dedication by paying his own way through Pasadena’s Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. After graduating, Min earned an externship with Patina Restaurant Group’s Orange County restaurants before returning to L.A. for a job on the line at Ray’s + Stark Bar. Min moved on to local Vietnamese chain Little Sister. There, he was mentored by Chef Tin Vuong, who helped him understand that running a business well is often just as important as making good food.
After six years, Min left Little Sister to stage at Kato in Santa Monica then cook at Kali, The Nomad, and Little Sister again as sous chef. In 2019, he connected with fellow hospitality pros Dustin Lee and Kevin Son, and they began workshopping a modern Korean concept called hanchic. With no investors, Min and his partners built hanchic out of an unassuming Koreatown strip mall. It began operating as a ghost kitchen with hanchic in the storefront for delivery and takeout orders while Min ran three to four additional brands in the kitchen space. Now with Min at the helm, hanchic is full-service, blending classic French techniques with bold Korean flavors and formats.
