Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Kang.
Hi Alex, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started Okonomi because I wanted to make Asian comfort food more accessible — not the watered-down stuff or overpriced fusion plates, but the kind of dishes you find on the street in Vietnam, Korea, or any other Asian country. Quick, affordable, deeply satisfying. Food that’s part of daily life, not dressed up for an Instagram shoot. After spending years living and working across Asia, it was frustrating to come back to the U.S. and see how disconnected most menus were from that everyday experience. For example, Pho isn’t even the most popular Vietnamese dish in Vietnam — so why is that the only thing Americans care about? I wanted to create something that honored the spirit of those meals — casual but thoughtful, familiar but not dumbed down.
I spent a year in Vietnam on a dedicated R&D trip, training under the chef who would go on to open the country’s first Michelin-starred restaurant and working with KOTO, a nonprofit that trains at-risk youth for careers in hospitality. That time changed how I understood food. It wasn’t just about flavor or aesthetics — it was about mobility, pride, and the kind of growth that happens when people are given a shot and expected to rise to it.
That’s the foundation I brought back when I returned to the U.S. and pitched my business plan. My parents backed me with a loan, and we opened Okonomi in Fairfax in 2022. No grand opening, no press — we didn’t even have our sign yet when we opened. I was working 130-hour weeks to keep the place afloat. I was the general manager, prep cook, dishwasher, delivery driver, and plumber, sometimes all in the same shift. Every problem was mine to solve, and most of the time, I had to learn it on the spot. There were days I’d start at 5 a.m., go to 3 different wholesalers, prep and then open the store alone. It wasn’t glamorous — it was survival. But slowly, it started to work.
We started with only a grill, a stove, a single 2-door fridge, and a prep table. That was it. No backup freezer, no fryer, no steamer, no drink machine. It was enough to open, but barely. Every day was a juggling act between storage, prep, and service. I’d haul groceries in myself, prep solo, and get through service however I could. It wasn’t efficient, but it kept the doors open.
In 2023, we got our first wave of attention when the TikTok creator @alwaysbemyfoodie posted a video about us. It brought a spike in traffic and showed us the impact of social media even without a huge following. We adjusted, patched holes, and kept pushing.
Then in 2024, Keith Lee visited. That completely changed the pace. We went from steady growth to long lines and sellouts. It forced us to expand storage, update equipment, and fix all the operational cracks we’d been living with. We didn’t have a choice — we had to level up fast or get buried.
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?
Definitely not. In the early days, I was working 130-hour weeks because I couldn’t afford to hire anyone. I was doing everything — prep, cooking, cleaning, errands, repairs — just trying to stay afloat. We started with a grill, stove, a single 2-door fridge, and a prep table. No backup equipment, no fryer, no drink machine. It was bare-bones.
Rent was eating up as much as 60% of our revenue at one point. Food and packaging costs kept climbing, and we had no buffer. On top of that, we dealt with theft — people walking out without paying and even bragging about it. Eventually, we posted a bounty for the thieves, which went viral. That post is what led Keith Lee to visit. He saw what we were dealing with and came through. What started as a financial hit became a turning point.
There’s also been racism — guests questioning if our food is “clean,” talking down to my staff because they’re not Asian, or leaving bad reviews when we didn’t fit their idea of authenticity. You deal with it and move on. Nothing about this has been smooth, but we’ve kept going. We’ve grown every year, we’ve adapted, and we’re still standing.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Okonomi Asian Grill?
Okonomi is a fast-casual Asian restaurant in Fairfax, Virginia. We serve rice and noodle bowls built around grilled proteins, house-pickled vegetables, and bold, savory sauces. The food is rooted in the everyday meals you’ll find across Asia — practical, comforting, and made with care.
Everything is prepped in-house. We marinate and grill our proteins fresh daily. We make our own pickles and sauces. Nothing comes in pre-sliced or pre-cooked — we build everything from raw ingredients in a small space, with a small crew, every single day.
What sets us apart is how much effort goes into food that’s meant to be fast and affordable. Most places at this price point rely on shortcuts. We don’t. Our bowls are consistent because we put in the work behind the scenes to make sure they are.
We’ve grown steadily since opening, with a few unexpected spikes — including a viral TikTok from Keith Lee in 2024. Even with the surge in volume, we’ve stayed focused on doing things the way we always have.
I’m proud that we’ve held our standards — through long hours, growing pains, and everything else that comes with running a small business. We haven’t chased trends or watered things down. We just focus on doing things right, one order at a time.
How do you think about happiness?
What makes me happy is knowing that we’re creating something that adds value. We’re putting out a product that people genuinely like — not just because it tastes good, but because it’s made with care, it’s reasonably priced, and it doesn’t leave you feeling like you’re fighting the worst food coma of your life afterward. We’re feeding people something solid that they can feel good about.
It also matters to me that the food reflects something real — not watered-down or trend-chasing, but rooted in actual dishes, flavors, and cultural context. We’re not trying to educate people, but we are trying to share something. If someone leaves knowing a little more about a dish or flavor they didn’t grow up with, that’s a win.
And it’s not just about customers. I’m proud that we’re building something that creates opportunity for the team too — giving people structure, skill, and confidence they didn’t have when they walked in. Watching them grow alongside the business, take ownership, and even think about opening their own place one day — that’s the kind of impact that lasts.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.okonomiasiangrill.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/okonomiasiangrill
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/okonomiasiangrill
- Other: https://g.co/kgs/8Zu77bj
