Issue 10: KP Happy Gathering with Jin Ahn @ Pavé NYC

We're celebrating the unhyphenated life in NYC today!

and

Mar 05, 2024

Hi KP!

We’re hosting an intimate friends and family gathering today while Sarah is in town! And celebrating that KP has readers in nearly half of the United States (yay!) and a holistic Komerican life is blossoming, making it easier to love ourselves and love everybody. Sarah and I have some in-person work days scheduled to expand KPs reach and creativity -- public events and cool printed things (shhh, top secret right now!). You will be the first to hear about our new offerings when it's time.

But for now, please join us in spirit and welcome our friend Jin Ahn to today's Q&A. He is so many things including the generous co-owner of Pavé, the beautiful French bakery near Grand Central Station where we're hosting today's event. Jin is always warm, inviting, kind, and also funny! Once you meet him and taste any of the pastries at Pavé (get that passionfruit brioche if you see it!), you will want to come back again and again. Enjoy his stories and say hi to Jin when you are at Pavé next time!

Flavor of the Week: KP Q&A with Jin Ahn

Jin Ahn is the Managing Partner of noreetuh, one of the rare Hawaiian restaurants in New York City. Concurrently, Jin also manages Pavé, a French-style bakery offering freshly baked bread, pastries and coffee to New York’s Midtown audience. He is focused on relaying a sense of hospitality through the means of food, beverage and personalized service. Jin learned from the best and honed his skills at fine dining bastions per se, Jungsik, and Jean-Georges in New York City; as well as Trio and Les Nomades in Chicago — where his culinary journey began. Jin is married with three children and lives in Westchester County, NY. Follow Jin on IG at @mightyjin, @noreetuh, and @pave_nyc.

Introduce yourself more personally in 2-3 sentences.

Jin is seemingly outgoing with a sense of reserve. Believes in having fun in life and doing what you love doing for a living. He believes that consistency is key not only to a successful restaurant, but absolutely extends to a person.

Where are you from?

I’m from the Bronx, but I currently live in Dobbs Ferry, a suburb of New York City.

No, where are you REALLY from? (Haha!)

I had to go back and erase the answer above after seeing this question - I was born in Korea, raised in the Bronx, lived in Chicago during my collegiate/early years in the restaurant industry, and moved back to the Bronx and finally settled down in a suburb of New York.

If you wish to poke a hole, this is perhaps a conversation we can have.

What’s your sign?

Cancer.

How would you describe yourself in five words?

Smart, loving, impetuous, enthusiastic, selfish.

What do you love about being Komerican?

I identify as ~~Korean-American~~ Komerican, but more American as the time passes by. As a young person, I identified myself as more Korean, then over time I took in a lot of American ideals that redirected this view of myself. As the world becomes increasingly smaller, your identity becomes whatever you’d like it to become. Probably need another phone conversation for this one!

My connection to Komerican culture changed quite a bit over time as well - in my youth it was the Korean music, drama, movies, food, etc, but as I grew older, the connection morphed into an undeniable fact that I am Korean but with so many different faces and cultures mashed into me. Does that even make sense?

And of course, what are your favorite Korean foods?

Kimchi. Ramyun. Kimbap, any soup my mom makes.

What was your childhood like and what has it taught you?

Wow, that’s so long ago…and sometimes some memories of my childhood pop up in my head. What was it like? Pretty normal for an immigrant boy?

I came here at the age of (almost) 12, without knowing the language or knowing what to expect. I figured out a lot of things myself throughout my childhood. I think I had enough brain power to survive my early years but not quite enough to tackle adulthood. When I met my mentors over the course of two decades, I realized how important it is to have a mentor in one’s life. Maybe it is better to learn things on your own and truly live your own life, but you realize that life is short and it’s a marathon without a finish line. We do stand on the shoulders of those who came before us and must provide our own shoulders for our future generations.

Can you share something exciting that you’re working on now?

One of the most important and exciting things for me is seeing my colleagues as well as my children growing up and taking greater responsibilities and doing exciting things in their lives. Some I have an active role, others I am a spectator. Either way it is exciting to see and often live vicariously through!

What do people underestimate about you?

I don’t think people underestimate me but more the opposite. I suppose that could just be my perspective, but people tend to give me more credit than not. It may sound humble but I definitely am not a humble person. Maybe slightly diplomatic.

Share your proudest moment in the past year.

Seeing my right hand person at noreetuh rise through difficult challenges to rock out night in and night out without my active involvement. She is slowly becoming the go-to person for the restaurant.

What was your hardest moment in the past year?

Financial woes everywhere. This small business stuff is super duper hard and very often makes you wonder why we’re pursuing this dream…is it a pipe dream?

We’ve all been hurt in some form or fashion. What are you healing from?

Are we going through a psychoanalysis? I don’t know - maybe we need a session!

I’m trying not to hurt others so that they don’t have to go through the healing process. As a dominant male figure, I am often seen and act as an aggressor. Always a cause for a concern and something to be mindful about.

How do you love yourself?

By loving myself. I think constantly about everything. One of the many things that came out of my thought processes is the concept of loving oneself. A conclusion I drew many years ago is the fact that without loving yourself — you cannot truly love anyone else. Since then I practice loving myself even when all the negativity about myself creeps up on me.

How do you love others?

Through actions and words. I’ve been stingy with the words all my life hoping that actions alone speak louder than words. I have learned that for many people, the words are reassuring. I still have a difficult time implementing that but we’re all a ‘work in progress.’

What five things can you not live without?

Don’t think I need five - food, water, and a healthy mind.

What’s your favorite dance song? (If you don’t dance, that’s okay too.)

September by Earth, Wind and Fire.

What’s your favorite kind of pie?

Pecan.

H Mart Happiness: What’s your favorite product and why?

“I like to get the turtle chips (꼬북칩-콘스프맛) from H-mart because it has such a good sweet & salty flavor combo and it has the perfect crunchy texture to satisfy my giant and constant snack cravings.” - Shin M.

What’s your favorite H Mart product? Leave a comment and share the love!

Crispy Crust: A Touch of Jeong - Uplifting illustrations that delight

In my childhood, my mom used to have a plain piece of bread with coffee for breakfast after the morning rush was over. The image stayed with me as a symbol of a peaceful moment for oneself.

Love, Aram

Korean School: Woori (We) vs Na (I) - the importance of community in the Korean Language

Fun facts, idioms, translations and history

In the Korean language, “We (우리 woori)” often comes in place of “I (나/내 na/nae).” Instead of saying “Let’s go to my place (내 집에 가자),” you would say “Let’s go to our place (우리 집에 가자).” Instead of “My mom (내 엄마),” it would be “Our mom (우리 엄마).” The use of "we" in place of "I" is an example of how Korean tradition and culture emphasizes community over individuals — and this is manifested in the language. Individualism is more prominent in modern society today, but the language still shows the customs and heritage that it embraced over centuries.

Sweet & Salty: A list of the tastiest treats satisfying all the senses

Minwha Spirits is an Atlanta-based craft soju distillery that currently produces two types of soju - Yong and Dokkaebi, of which each won gold and silver at the Georgia Trustees Wine & Spirits Competition. That alone says a lot about their quality, but also I will get them in the blink of an eye for their eye-catching, artistic illustrations and logos alone.
As a webzine, we are intrigued and inspired by all kinds of zines! Gyopo shop has a good stock of various zines that tell many different kinds of stories of many different kinds of people. Stay tuned to KP’s own zines coming in the future!
MoCCA Arts Fest is NYC’s biggest independent comics & cartoon festival! This year, it will be held March 16th-17th in Chelsea showcasing over 500 artists from countless backgrounds. It’s inspiring to see people lining up around the block to enter the exhibition hall and to explore all kinds of art displayed by independent artists. Our very own Hyesu Lee is one of their featured artists this year!