If you've spent any time exploring Korean food, you already know gimbap. But chances are it's been playing second fiddle to sushi in your mind - and in most of New York City's restaurant scene. Chef Jihan Lee is quietly working to change that.

Lee's relationship with gimbap is deeply personal. It started with his mother's version, which set an early and lasting standard. Professionally, though, his path took him through the world of Japanese cuisine - most notably to Masa, the two-Michelin-starred sushi institution in New York City, where the art of the seaweed-wrapped rice roll was refined to its most precise form.

From sushi bar to something more personal

After his time at Masa, Lee co-founded Nami Nori, a Japanese hand roll bar that opened in 2019 and quickly found its audience. But even while building a reputation in that space, gimbap - the food that came first, the one tied to home and memory - was waiting in the wings.

Now, Lee is testing the waters with TBD Gimbap, a pop-up concept aimed squarely at New York City's appetite for something familiar yet underexplored. The format is smart: a pop-up lets him gauge real demand before committing to a permanent space, and it creates exactly the kind of buzz that a dish like gimbap deserves.

Why gimbap deserves its own moment

Here's the thing about gimbap - it's not sushi, and that distinction matters. While both involve rice and seaweed, gimbap has its own flavor logic, its own fillings, and its own cultural weight. It's a staple of Korean home cooking and street food culture, the kind of thing you grab before a hike or pack for a picnic. It's everyday food elevated by care and intention.

That accessibility is actually part of what makes it so exciting as a restaurant concept. There's room to honor tradition while bringing creativity to the table - something Lee is well-positioned to do given his background bridging Korean roots with high-level Japanese culinary technique.

As Korean food continues to earn serious recognition globally, gimbap feels like the next dish ready to graduate from side character to main event. And with chefs like Jihan Lee paying close attention, New York City might just be where that shift happens.

Source: Eater