What makes this business or business owner stand out?
K Dong at MIKU stands out because he is focused on his customer's experience from beginning to end. MIKU's elegant design and central location are important parts of this experience, along with a menu that is inspired by traditional Japanese cuisine. K created the perfect mix of quality and service to ensure his customers are satisfied and enjoy returning to his restaurant on a regular basis. He grew up in the restaurant industry, working with ingredients in the kitchen and customers in the dining room. K is most passionate about building relationships with his customers so he now focuses his time on hospitality and works with a partner to ensure the kitchen only uses the best ingredients. K and his partner have worked together for almost a decade and have an award-winning restaurant in Westchester County, KUMO. Together they make sure the restaurant provides quality on a consistent basis, which is a fundamental aspect to the MIKU experience along with exceptional service.
"I love working with customers in Greenwich to bring creative ideas to the table. The community is open-minded and allows me to experiment with fresh ideas."
What challenges have they overcome in their life to get to the point they are at today?
"Every day is a challenge for restaurant owners. We are always encountering new situations."
Consistency is key; therefore, finding a partner that can manage that important detail while K focuses on customer service and training his staff has been a game-changer. There are so many variables when designing and building a restaurant from scratch. A restaurateur needs to be versatile, a problem-solver and motivated by passion. K uses creativity to make things fun for his team and customers. He is exposed to many different types of people and is always learning from those interactions and connections. K has respect for his staff, which he calls his team, and customers, which he considers his guests. These people, along with vendors, really make up his diverse community. He enjoys their different perspectives.
"In this business, it is hard to manage a personal life, but it is a choice. I'm very dedicated to the restaurant, but I try to make time for my family as much as I can. Having a supportive family is very important."
What is their business doing differently that is having such a great impact on the community?
K at MIKU makes sure to develop good relationships with his customers and staff. This gives him the ability to receive important feedback. Quality service means talking with his team and guests and sharing information and ideas.
"I want my guests to see me as their friend, and I want my team to be able to learn from my experiences. Problem-solving is much easier when people understand that they have my support."
K believes hospitality is key to any restaurant business. He trains the team to be able to provide the same level of service he expects from himself because he manages multiple locations and plans to continue growing. Teamwork is the foundation of being a successful restaurateur.
