SK Kim

Seung Kyu Kim (SK) is the Executive Chef at COQODAQ and a Partner at Gracious Hospitality Management (GHM), where he leads culinary operations, menu development, and strategic planning.

Chef SK spent more than a decade working alongside world-renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten at both Jean-Georges and Nougatine. As a senior sous chef, he played a pivotal role in helping the flagship maintain its most prestigious accolades, including four stars from The New York Times and three Michelin stars in 2014.

Recognizing the immense potential of Gracious Hospitality Management, Chef SK joined the team as Director of Culinary Development. In that role, he built and trained talented back-of-house teams, developed acclaimed recipes, and established systems that enable high-concept, high-volume restaurants to deliver exceptional consistency. He also collaborated closely with key purveyors to ensure every GHM property maintains the highest standards using only premium-quality ingredients.

Chef SK was later tapped to lead the kitchen at COQODAQ, where he spent four years developing the restaurant’s signature “Better Fried Chicken” experience ahead of the January 2024 opening. From sourcing certified humane, hormone-free chicken to pioneering the use of Zero Acre’s sustainable, sugarcane-based cultured oil, every detail reflects his uncompromising commitment to quality. Under his leadership, COQODAQ has earned acclaim from The New York Times, Eater, Condé Nast Traveler, and New York Magazine as one of the city’s most exciting new openings, and was awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2024, which they retained in 2025.