DALLAS — Smoothie King's CEO is investing millions of dollars into a passion project steakhouse in Uptown Dallas with an internationally renowned chef.
Wan Kim, the owner and CEO of Smoothie King, is investing $16 million into Nuri Steakhouse.
Kim, a South Korean immigrant, started as a Smoothie King franchisee in 2002, eventually working up to buy the company in 2012 for $58 million. In 2018, Kim moved Smoothie King's headquarters from Metairie, Louisiana, to Dallas.
The new venture seeks to blend Kim's journey from Korea to Texas through food, branding itself as a redefined Texas steakhouse with Asian influences.
Unlike a traditional Texas steakhouse, Nuri can only be described as opulent. The interior has a heavy Art Deco influence and looks like a 21st-century version of The Great Gatsby.
The opulence doesn't stop at the decor. Chef Minji Kim, a Michelin-recognized chef for her work at a restaurant in Seoul, will serve as Culinary Director at Nuri. Executive Chef Mario Hernandez will bring his steakhouse experience from his time at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse and Gordon Ramsay North America.
The two chef's backgrounds are reflected in the restaurant's offerings. For example, the restaurant will have two styles of gumbo--one with Korean influence and one based on New Orleans flavors.
It wouldn't be a steakhouse without a proper wine selection. Master Sommelier Barbara Werley, one of just 14 Master Sommeliers in Texas, curated the wine program, which features one wine bottled in 1863.
The restaurant is located at 2401 Cedar Springs Road, near Maple Ave. Nuri Steakhouse will open on August 20.