Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Chon
Hi Jeff , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my career in restaurants when I was 16. Working for the Cheesecake Factory and entering the world of corporate hospitality, I immediately fell in love with the routine of serving guests and facilitating a positive experience of eating out and I knew my life would eventually revolve around this. While in college at UC Irvine, I worked part time in residential real estate sales. Although new and exciting as well, I knew this was not my true passion. In 2006, I had the opportunity to purchase my first restaurant in Newport Beach, California. It was a legacy community restaurant and bar that was ripe for reinvention and change. So with a loan from my dad and the bank – I entered into the world of restaurant ownership. After many years of trials and tribulations – I decided to try my luck in opening my own concept. So in 2011, with the investment of two friends of mine, I opened the first Tabu Shabu in Costa Mesa. Now with two restaurants under my belt, I quickly moved to do another concept and rebranding by taking over a bar and music venue in Costa Mesa called The Detroit Bar. So in 2014, I rebranded and remodeled it and a year later we rolled out The Wayfarer – a live local music venue with upscaled bar and food program. After yet another short break, in 2017 I went on to open a passion concept – a local Japanese style tavern and restaurant serving Japanese skewers (yakitori) cooked on Japanese coal. Hence the name, Oak & Coal in Costa Mesa. I had my first born in 2017 – leading my journey to the next concept called Love & Puree – an organic baby food store. At the same time, we began expanding our Tabu Shabu brand into the franchise market. With multiple in Southern California, Texas and soon to be Nashville, TN I began to focus on a singular concept expansion rather than diversifying. Obviously the pandemic slowed us down, but fast forward to 2024 we are still moving forward to the next great thing!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not. This industry is not for the faint of heart. Challenges seem to present themselves every day. But that is actually what makes me so passionate about the industry. It is never dull or monotonous. Whether it be our guests we serve or the team we employ the human element can make things absolutely wonderful or create a struggle to overcome. I have learned a great deal about the human psyche and condition which in turn I believe has made a better leader. Food service and hospitality is a battle every day. A battle to be better than the day before, and push our staff to do the same – which then leads to the experience for a guest to find absolute enjoyment in the product and service we have created.
The biggest challenge – both from a financial standpoint and emotional morale – was definitely Covid and its lingering after effects. The uncertainty of a future in our industry is standard, but the pandemic was an unprecendented challenge and made us question the very purpose of doing what we do.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Our mission and purpose has many facets, but the prevailing goal is to provide a guest with the absolute best experience they can have when choosing from the many options available in eating and dining. Our Tabu Shabu brand specializes in Japanese style Hot Pot (shabu shabu) and focuses on high quality proteins (not like the all you can eat concepts that compete with us) and experiential dining. Oak & Coal’s speciality is coal fired proteins and Japanese tavern dishes (izakaya) that accounts for our local culture while trying to remain as authentic as possible. I think we do that very well…in that we bring true Japanese preparation and cooking technique while being creative and drawing from the community we serve.
We are also very excited about our new brand/concept in Nashville, TN called KOSHO. KOSHO will be a hybrid between our concepts here in California. Hopefully replicating the experience to the people of Tennessee
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Not much…I’m an open book 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: oakandcoalcm.com // tabushabu.com // koshobytabu.com
- Instagram: @oakandcoal // @tabushabu // @koshobytabu
