Restaurateur Pim Chang learned the ropes of the restaurant business by working at a McDonald’s while growing up.
Chang, who is from Hong Kong, said preparing McDonald’s fries helped him realize the creativity involved in something as standardized as preparing McDonald’s food.
The differences in how fries are prepared around the world highlights the uniqueness of food and the effort involved in preparing it, he said.
“Nothing’s original,” he told LINK nky. “Everything’s going to move up. It’s gonna change. It’s one of the things I learned from working at McDonalds.”
Chang immigrated from Hong Kong to New York, where he worked in various Japanese restaurants. After a stop in Miami, Chang relocated to the Greater Cincinnati area with his daughter, where he has been living for the past 15 years. Throughout his journey, Chang has learned various tips and tricks of the trade that he plans to apply to his business.
His newest restaurant, CK Kitchen, focuses on serving a diverse array of Asian-inspired dishes, from sushi to Korean fried chicken. The menu showcases both traditional and modern Asian flavors.
Customers can pick from sushi and sashimi, classic rolls, and a creative selection of specialty and deep-fried rolls. The also menu features cooked entrees, salads, appetizers, and rice and noodle dishes, offering options for both sushi fans and those preferring hot meals.
Inside the restaurant, numerous references to East Asian culture can be seen, most notably a large mural of Mt. Fuji in Japan painted along the back wall.
The name, CK, is an acronym for Covington Kitchen, a straightforward gesture honoring the city where his restaurant now resides. Chang said that Covington stood out as an ideal location for his latest concept due to the growth potential of the city.
He highlighted the ongoing development of the former IRS site along the Ohio Riverfront and the relocation of the Salmon P. Chase College of Law and the University of Kentucky Medical Center to the Covington RiverCenter as evidence of this anticipated growth. He wanted his new restaurant to be right in the middle of the action.
“You can see a lot of people driving down from Ohio,” he said. “This corner space, a lot of people can see. This means I like it. The second thing, this area right now, because of the law school and the medical school, it will be a couple years to grow up. It might be not right now, but this area is good.”
CK Kitchen is situated at 501 Main St., in the space formerly occupied by Spoon on the ground floor below the RiverHaus apartment complex. Spoon ceased operations in 2023, leaving the space vacant for over two years until Chang decided to open CK Kitchen. Following comprehensive renovations to the kitchen, CK Kitchen had its soft opening this summer.
Server Anthony Auteri, who previously lived in Covington, touted CK Kitchen as a new late night spot that’s adding to the culinary scene of MainStrasse Village.
“When I lived down here, there wasn’t a lot of options unless, you went to a bar that served food like late night,” he said. “There wasn’t options. I think this is a great option.”
Currently, CK Kitchen is still in soft opening mode, Chang said. He is still tinkering with the menu and awaiting approval for his liquor license. In the meantime, the restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 9 p.m.
