Bonchon is a global phenomenon two decades in the making, and the timing couldn’t be better for the Korean fried chicken brand to take a bold swing. The company surpassed 150 U.S. locations and nearly 500 restaurants worldwide last year, including a newly inked six-unit deal in Puerto Rico slated to open in late 2026.
Born in South Korea and brought to the U.S. in 2006, founder Jinduk Seo launched the first American Bonchon in New York City with one mission: to share the flavors of his hometown of Busan. His perfected double-fry method and signature sauces sparked a global following, turning Bonchon into one of the world’s most recognized Korean restaurant brands.
In 2025, the company introduced its newest full-service prototype—an elevated design that blends modern Korean aesthetics with a streamlined kitchen optimized for dine-in, takeout, and delivery. The update features upgraded plating, a refreshed service model, and an atmosphere crafted to resonate with Gen Z and trend-conscious diners without losing its culinary soul.
It arrives at a cultural inflection point. Korean influence is everywhere: K-Pop Demon Hunters became Netflix’s most-watched animated film in 2025, Squid Game remains the platform’s most-viewed original series, and Korean food exports surged 9 percent annually between 2020 and 2024, reaching more than $7 billion. From skincare to cinema, music to food, Korean culture has become a global force—and Bonchon is positioning itself as a steward of authentic, craveable Korean flavor.
“We’re so lucky to be in this era of Korean culture becoming so mainstream,” says CEO Suzie Tsai. “Social media has brought us to the forefront of the global marketplace, and people’s palates are ready to embrace authentic Korean flavors.”
Tsai’s parents were her first culinary influences. They immigrated to the U.S. in the 1980s and worked in the foodservice industry as small-business owners. She and her brother grew up in an entrepreneurial environment, pitching in wherever needed; Tsai especially loved interacting with guests and serving tables.
She often pondered the meaning of hospitality—the “friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors and strangers.” That idea became a guiding principle in her career.
“I was fascinated by how food was never just a meal. It’s nourishment, but it also creates conversations and brings people together,” Tsai reflects. “Early in my life, I realized restaurants are about creating moments and experiences and building relationships. This connection continues to captivate me.”
In Korean culture, food is the centerpiece of any gathering—a communal experience meant to be shared. That tradition continues to shape Tsai’s belief in the connection between sharing love and sharing food.
“My parents never explicitly said, ‘I love you,’ but they showed their love through cooking for us and eating together,” she says. “They always encouraged us to eat because it would make us strong and healthy. Even today, at my family’s table, we eat with our kids and share stories—share love. I think it’s amazing how meals can do that.”
Tsai hit her first major break in the industry at Brinker International, where she worked her way up from senior manager of consumer insights to senior director of brand marketing for Chili’s over the course of 12 years.
It was there that she began forming her leadership style—empowering, clear, and collaborative. She focused on learning the business from end to end, taking on new challenges and finding ways to add value while broadening her experience. Along the way, she worked alongside female leaders who inspired and encouraged her, expanding her sense of what was possible and giving her the confidence to envision herself in higher roles.
As a female minority, she sometimes felt aware of the ceiling that could exist within an organization. In the early years, becoming a CEO wasn’t a defined goal. Instead, she leaned into a mindset inherited from her entrepreneurial parents: stay curious, work hard, and continue to grow.
“I often thought about what it would be like to lead—the decisions I’d make, and the team I’d shape,” Tsai says. “These thoughts always crossed my mind as I navigated different scenarios throughout my career.”
Her time on the insights team became one of her most defining experiences. She traveled around the world listening to franchisees, operators, team members, and guests across domestic and international markets. No matter her role, she made it a priority to sit down, watch, and listen to how guests interacted with the brand—observations that informed decisions and shaped strategy throughout her career.
“We had all of these incredible insights, and the biggest lesson I learned was the importance of creating an environment where every voice matters,” Tsai says. “During that time, Brinker was going through a major cultural shift, and accountability was a central focus. We firmly believed culture drives accountability and results. I learned that even the best strategy will fall short in execution without a strong, aligned culture.”
In 2024, Tsai took the helm of Bonchon—and it truly felt like a homecoming. Her first move as CEO was to restore the Korean letters in the logo, which translate to “my hometown,” signaling her commitment to fiercely protecting Bonchon’s Korean identity even as the brand expands globally.
From there, she went straight to work: bringing the brand’s rich history and roots back into its food, experience, and culture, while simultaneously preparing the business for a new era of modernization.
“There’s this brand essence that our franchise operators deeply believe in, and I wanted to bring that front and center,” Tsai says. “We also needed to invest in technology, streamline operations, and ensure food consistency to really position us for growth. It’s striking a balance between honoring what makes Bonchon special and building the foundation for the future.”
Under Tsai’s leadership, Bonchon delivered its strongest franchise development year in 2024, expanding its footprint across both new and existing markets. A major driver of this momentum was a renewed focus on its signature flavors. Bonchon International R&D Chef Jae Park relocated to the brand’s Dallas headquarters in 2025 to support the revitalization of the U.S. menu.
Park had spent years traveling the globe to innovate menus across Bonchon’s international locations. Under Tsai’s direction, he brought that expertise stateside, helping usher in several of last year’s fan favorites: Cheesy Bulgogi Rice, Bulgogi Tteokbokki, and Bulgogi Stir-Fry Udon.
“No matter how big or how global you become, food matters. Scaling requires the right systems and people, but it always centers around your core product,” Tsai adds.
What many people don’t know is that Bonchon was built in a full-service model. Seo’s first restaurant in New York City opened as a traditional sit-down concept, rooted in connection, service, and ambiance. Today, 75 percent of Bonchon restaurants still follow this format, anchoring and defining the brand’s cultural experience and sense of immersion.
As Bonchon scales globally, its two-format strategy allows its fast-casual prototype to serve as the engine of growth. With a smaller footprint, faster buildout, and lower investment for franchisees, the model offers the convenience younger guests seek. Strategic technology rollouts, such as kiosks, have accelerated this effort.
A dark-horse growth driver has been catering, which grew more than 54 percent from 2024 to 2025. Though relatively new to the space, Tsai cleared the runway by strengthening third-party delivery partnerships, leveraging the revamped menu, and enhancing packaging to go all in.
Regardless of the format, the menu is cooked and prepared the same way. Tsai has streamlined the kitchen to optimize it for dine-in, takeout, and delivery, ensuring speed and convenience without sacrificing quality. Technology has also revamped kitchen line builds and improved ease of operation for franchisees—a puzzle Tsai has been eager to solve.
“Starting as a traditional Korean restaurant has allowed us to win the space with our ability to deliver an authentic experience for guests, but growth through fast casual reflects where the business is headed,” Tsai says. “All of our menu items are scratch-made, and every chicken is hand-battered, hand-brushed, and double-fried, so while we have an ongoing opportunity to improve our speed, we are careful not to sacrifice quality and consistency.”
She continues, pushing the envelope on what fast casual means today: “I don’t believe that today’s fast casual is about food being made faster. It’s the convenience you build into the overall experience that matters. Thinking about it this way is what allows us to keep what really defines Bonchon—when it comes to our food—as authentic as possible within our different restaurant prototypes.”
Tsai has long admired restaurant companies that can scale into the hundreds and thousands of units while remaining consistent in experience, food, and identity—regardless of franchise partners and the unique challenges they bring.
It’s the quality of training that underpins this level of success, Tsai says. It’s a continuous effort that must be intentionally integrated from the top down. Bonchon deploys a strong group of trainers, known as field support coaches, who work to understand franchisees’ business needs, activate and cultivate relationships, and educate everyone from heads of operations to frontline team members.
Tsai’s external work—the menu, technology, and new restaurant buildouts—is matched by what she’s driving internally. She has doubled down on fostering a spirit of transparency, tying back to her leadership style of being “like a clear broth of udon noodles.”
That transparency has opened new doors with franchisees, who are now more willing to engage in frequent dialogue—from asking for additional marketing support to discussing LTO launches to learning how to adapt and integrate new technologies. A major initiative has been helping franchisees with their P&Ls, improving operational efficiencies, and lowering costs while introducing better financial management tools.
“It’s up to us as leaders to do our due diligence and keep sharing knowledge, keep relaying our message, and have these conversations in every way possible. No matter what role you play in a company, you deserve to know everything that’s happening in the business,” Tsai says. “Our franchisees are real people—real business owners, who run our company every day. Our mindset has shifted from worrying about what might happen if we open a dialogue with them to, let’s just listen and see what we can do to help.”
Reflecting on her early days—the nights she wondered if she had hit a ceiling, and the women leaders who encouraged her to leap—Tsai often reflects on what advocacy truly means, and what it looks like in practice.
She tries to integrate advocacy and support into her everyday work. It doesn’t mean flashy statements on a keynote stage or avoiding tough decisions to keep the peace. For Tsai, real support starts small but has a big impact: for example, bringing a rising star along on business travel, exposing them to how the business works, showing them how to take a measured risk, and letting them observe leadership in the field—how decisions are made in real time.
“I want to create as many opportunities as possible for everyone in the organization, especially women, to step into something outside their comfort zone,” Tsai says. “Like, let’s visit the franchise restaurants. I know you may never need to step into a restaurant in your role, but you have to go and see it. Creating opportunities every day for my team to learn is how we can better support each other.”
Building a strong network of women and seeking out mentors helped Tsai through the times she felt stuck, hesitant, or alone. She notes that it can be overwhelming to open social media and feel pressure to live up to the perfect, polished lives others appear to have. Sometimes, simply having someone to talk through those feelings with is enough.
“When you’re trying to manage all of these expectations and stay true to yourself—wondering what you truly want and what you’re really good at—it’s important not to limit yourself,” Tsai says. “It is so easy to get consumed by what others think and swept up in the idea of perfection that people put out there. In the past, we didn’t talk about the pressure we feel, the truth about being a woman in this business. But the dialogue is starting to open up … and the reality is, it’s not about fitting into a mold. It’s about bringing your unique perspective and not being afraid to do it.”
With strong momentum behind her and a more connected franchise network than ever, Tsai is laying the groundwork for Bonchon’s next chapter—one centered on innovation, expansion, and elevating Korean flavors worldwide.
Despite 2025 being a challenging year for the restaurant business in general, Tsai feels more ready for Bonchon’s next growth spurt than ever. The brand opened 20 new restaurants last year, delivering on its promise to be globally recognized while acting local, and to own the conversation of Korean food and how it’s shared.
“The new year excites me. We are very well-positioned for growth and poised to become a global leader in Korean cuisine. I want us to not only be recognized for our food, but how we share it with the world, and that’s been our mission since day one,” Tsai says. “We have a responsibility to be an ambassador for Korean food and introduce guests to the real depth and diversity of our heritage.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: This feature was part of FSR’s February 2026 “Women in Restaurant Leadership” issue. Read about six other women who are moving the needle forward here.
