Denver-based Dae Gee Korean BBQ is headed to the East Coast thanks to a franchise agreement with Vimean Pen to open a single restaurant in New Hampshire.
“Almost immediately after I began exploring franchise ownership opportunities, I was drawn to Dae Gee Korean BBQ,” Pen said in a company press release. “I love Korean food and the Korean BBQ experience, and want to bring that experience to others in my community. I have no doubt Dae Gee gives me the best chance to leave the community well fed with culture and top quality home recipe style Korean food.”
Dae Gee, meaning “pig” in Korean, exposes customers to an interactive experience that allows them to cook their own meat on grill tops at their tables when they dine. Customers may choose from a variety of traditional Korean meats like Galbee (beef short ribs), Sam Gyeob Sal (sliced pork belly) and Dak Bulgogi (chicken), which are marinated in a secret marinade. Each meat, as well as fish and vegetarian options, may be ordered in a bowl, hot stone pot or tucked inside lettuce and eaten as a wrap.
“Since we began franchising, Dae Gee has made great strides in expanding to new markets across the country and this is another incredible milestone for the brand,” Dae Gee Founder Joseph Kim said in the release. “We’re thrilled to welcome Vimean to the Dae Gee family and look forward to opening our first restaurant on the East Coast.”
The announcement comes at a time when Dae Gee is looking to expand its footprint with franchisees across the U.S. With five corporate-owned restaurants, it plans to open up to 10 locations over the next 12 months and at least that many each year thereafter.
Founded in 2012, Dae Gee’s rise in popularity began in 2015, when the chain was featured on restaurateur Guy Fieri’s long-running food reality television series, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” Fieri said of Dae Gee, “This isn’t just any Korean restaurant. This one’s off the hook!”
Development deals have been signed in Indiana, South Dakota and Texas.
