Korean ESL student makes waves in Philippines resto industry

CEBU, Philippines — The promising restaurant sector in the country has prompted a Korean tourist and ESL (English as Second Language) student to invest in the food and beverage business in the Philippines.

Peter Kim, who first took his vacation and ESL studies in Bacolod nine years ago, saw the huge opportunity for restaurant business, capitalizing on Filipinos’ penchant for Korean cuisine, as well as consistent growth of Korean tourists here.

Kim opened his first Kimstaurant diner in Bacolod City nine years ago, out of desperation that there was no Korean restaurant in Bacolod that time.

And after reaping good business returns from his Bacolod resto venture, Kim opened his first out-of-Bacolod Kimstaurant outlet in Cebu.

He said the Philippines is a good investment site for young Koreans like him who are also falling in love with the country and its people.

Kim, who formerly served in the Korean military, tried to venture and explore other countries like Australia after his military service and ended up finding his second-home in the Philippines.

Recently, Kim opened a two-storey quaint Kimstaurant in Cebu located at The Greenery lifestyle strip along Pope John II Avenue, Cebu City.

After Cebu, Kim is eyeing other tourist destinations like Siargao, Dumaguete, and Iloilo as his next expansion sites.

Kim believes the Philippines has the potential to offer promising opportunities for food-related ventures as aside from tourists’, Filipinos are also starting to love Korean cuisine especially the millennial group.

An economist by profession, Kim picked the Philippines as his launching ground to start-off his entrepreneurial stint, because of the vibrant market and strengthening economy.

Kim discovered that 90 percent of his restaurants’ (Bacolod and Cebu) patrons are actually locals.

Kimstaurant is known for its Beef Galbi Jijim, Dolsot Bibimbop, and varied selection of Yakiniku, including Samghipsol, Deji Galbi, Kosal, among others.

Despite the growing number of Korean restaurants in Cebu, Kim hopes that his Cebu venture will also be a big success.