Ahris Kim

Somssi, Greenwich Village

Somssi is the first restaurant Ahris Kim can call entirely her own, though her fingerprints have been on some of New York's best for years, Atoboy, Atomix, Naro among them. The 4-month old Greenwich Village restaurant carries the imprint of her upbringing, from Seoul and Milwaukee, but largely resists any easy label. We spoke with Kim about the meals she keeps returning to, the lessons she's bringing with her, and the small ways she's trying to do things differently this time.

Full Name, Age, and Where are you from?

Ahris Kim, 39. I was born in Seoul, South Korea, but grew up mostly in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

What is your title and how are you involved with Somssi?

I’m the Managing Partner and GM of Somssi. I oversee the day-to-day operations of the restaurant and work closely with our culinary and beverage teams on shaping the overall experience and identity of Somssi.

What inspired you to get into this industry?

 I majored in Hotel & Tourism Management at NYU with the somewhat naive idea that if I had a degree in hospitality, I could live anywhere in the world and always find a job. I first fell in love with food and beverage through hotels, but pretty quickly realized that independently run restaurants were where I felt most at home.

You spent years behind the scenes helping build Atoboy, Atomix, and Naro. What made you feel like it was finally time to step out from behind the scenes and create something of your own?

I don’t know if I can confidently say I felt completely ready, even now, almost three months into Somssi! But people in the industry whom I really respect encouraged me to be brave enough to take the leap. After years of helping build other people’s restaurants, I also wanted to make room for the next generation of leaders while challenging myself to figure out what I could build on my own terms and what kind of mark I could leave on this industry.

What is the best meal you've ever had?

Such a hard question! But one that immediately comes to mind is at Kaluso, a restaurant in Korea owned by one of my seven aunts, two of whom are restaurateurs. They specialize in cheonggukjang, a deeply fermented soybean stew, and jjukkumi, spicy stir-fried baby octopus. The stew arrives bubbling away in an earthenware pot alongside a sizzling skillet of jjukkumi, whatever banchan my aunt is making that day, and often a seasonal fish that’s been salt-brined and grilled. It’s not a fancy meal, but it’s one I crave constantly. It’s often one of the first meals I have when I land in Korea, or one of the last before I leave.

Grilled Ox Tongue

You could have opened a Korean restaurant, but Somssi feels much harder to categorize. How important was it to give yourself and the kitchen freedom to pull from different cultures and influences?

It was really important. I’m not a chef or beverage director, and I never wanted Somssi to be a restaurant where everyone was simply executing my singular vision. I wanted our team to have a personal connection to what they create without being limited by the boundaries of a particular cuisine. Ultimately, Somssi is our collective effort: a restaurant that feels approachable and delicious, familiar yet exploratory, and deeply personal without being overly complicated.

It's my first time at Somssi, what is the must-order dish?

Definitely the ox tongue. It’s brined, braised, carefully scored, and then grilled. It has so much flavor and texture, and it’s a dish I genuinely don’t think I’ll ever get tired of eating.

You’ve worked alongside some of New York’s most acclaimed chefs and operators. What is something you learned from that experience that you wanted to carry into Somssi, and what is something you wanted to do differently?

I want to carry forward the dedication and passion I saw from the people I worked for and alongside. I learned to “inspect what you expect,” but also to give freely to your team; your time, knowledge, and support, without always expecting something in return.

What I want to do differently is question some of the structures we’ve accepted simply because “that’s how restaurants work.” Somssi’s smaller scale gives me the freedom to experiment with how we operate, lead, and support our team. Restaurants run on passion, but passion alone isn’t sustainable. I want to explore how we can pursue excellence while creating greater longevity for the people who choose to make this their career.

What restaurant, café, or bar do you find yourself frequenting most after work?

Home! By the end of service, I’m usually very eager to get home, rest, and recharge ... .buuuut, we’re just up MacDougal Street from Raku Soho, which became my go-to lunch spot during Somssi’s pre-opening phase. I can pretty much always come up with an excuse to pop in for their toothsome udon noodles and mackerel pressed sushi.

How do you relax outside of work?

I actually love cooking to relax. There’s something about having to focus on making a meal that quiets my otherwise very busy mind. These days I rarely have enough time to cook dinner for myself, which has somehow made it feel like even more of a treat. When I do get the chance to be home, put something on in the background, and cook without it being attached to work or a deadline, I really treasure it.