Chi'Lantro BBQ facts for kids
 |
|
| Industry | Restaurant, food trucks |
|---|---|
| Founded | United States (2010) |
| Headquarters | |
| Owner | Jae Kim |
Chi'Lantro BBQ is a super popular restaurant. It started as a mobile food truck in Austin, Texas in 2010. Since then, it has grown a lot! Now, Chi'Lantro has opened ten restaurants in the Austin area.
The name "Chi'Lantro" is a fun mix of two words: "kimchi" and "cilantro". Kimchi is a famous Korean dish, and cilantro is a herb used in Mexican food. This name shows how Chi'Lantro mixes Korean and Mexican flavors. They are most famous for a dish called "Kimchi Fries".
Contents
How Chi'Lantro BBQ Started
Chi'Lantro BBQ was started in February 2010 by Jae Kim. Jae was born in Korea and moved to the U.S. when he was eleven. He had already owned a coffee shop before starting Chi'Lantro. When he was twenty-six, he moved to Austin to open his food truck business.
At first, the food trucks served people in Austin and Fort Hood, Texas. In 2012, they even had a food truck in Houston. However, the Houston food truck service stopped in 2014. Jae Kim then decided to open a real restaurant.
On January 19, 2015, the first Chi'Lantro restaurant opened in Austin. By 2023, Chi'Lantro had more than ten locations across Austin. They also have one restaurant in Houston.
What's on the Menu?
Chi'Lantro's menu features "fusion cuisine". This means they mix different food traditions. They blend yummy Korean and Mexican flavors together.
Some popular items include:
- Kimchi Fries: These are their signature dish! They come with Korean BBQ, caramelized kimchi, melted cheese, onion, fresh cilantro, special "magic sauce," sriracha, and sesame seeds.
- Ssäms: This is a Korean word for wraps.
- Curated Bowls: These are bowls filled with different ingredients.
- Korean Fried Chicken Wings: Crispy and flavorful chicken wings.
They use ingredients like Korean BBQ Steak, Japchae noodles, and a cheesy sauce called Chi'Jeu Queso. They also add their own special sauces and fresh vegetables.
How They Operate
When Chi'Lantro first started, it was mainly a mobile kitchen. This means they used food trucks. The trucks would stop at different places throughout the day. They visited busy areas and places where many people worked.
Chi'Lantro also offered catering services. They would bring their food to parties, company events, weddings, and festivals. This was a great way for many people to try their food. However, the food truck service stopped in 2020.
In January 2015, they opened their first "brick and mortar" location. This is a fancy way of saying a regular restaurant building. This gave customers an option to eat inside. Since April 2016, all Chi'Lantro restaurants only accept digital payments. You can pay with Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or any major credit or debit card. They do not accept cash.
Chi'Lantro in the Media
Chi'Lantro BBQ uses social media a lot to connect with its customers. They use apps like Twitter, Foursquare, Yelp, and Facebook. They would post tweets to let people know where their food trucks would be.
They were also one of the first food trucks to use mobile devices. They used Android and Apple phones to take credit card payments. Chi'Lantro is also popular on YouTube. They have fun commercials like "It's That Good," "Fries Like a G6," and "Chi'Lantrofied!".
Awards and Recognition
Chi'Lantro BBQ has received a lot of attention! By 2011, their food trucks were featured on the Food Network and the Cooking Channel. In 2014, Huffington Post named them one of their favorite food trucks at SXSW.
In November 2016, the founder Jae Kim appeared on the TV show Shark Tank. He got a big investment of $600,000 from Barbara Corcoran. This money helped Chi'Lantro BBQ grow even more!
Images for kids
-
Chi'Lantro food truck at SXSW in 2015
See also
- KoMex
- List of food trucks
