Simon Kim is the Founder and CEO of Gracious Hospitality Management, the group behind acclaimed concepts including COTE Korean Steakhouse, COQODAQ, and Undercote. Born in South Korea and raised in New York, Kim is best known for COTE, the first Korean steakhouse in the United States to receive a Michelin Guide star, which it has retained since 2018. Since launching COTE, he has expanded the concept to Miami, Singapore, and Las Vegas, followed by COQODAQ, a New York restaurant dedicated to Korean fried chicken. Most recently, Kim opened a new multi-concept dining destination at 550 Madison Avenue in New York, marking his most ambitious project yet.

In this episode, Simon joins Steve from the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen for a conversation about his early start in hospitality working at a hotel in Las Vegas, discovering his passion for steakhouses, the creative energy and excitement that comes with bringing new concepts to life, and what continues to drive him as he builds the future of hospitality.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow us on social media @saygracepodcast and leave us a rating wherever you listen. Thanks for pulling up a seat at our table!

Sam Fore is a Sri Lankan-American chef and recipe developer based in Lexington, Kentucky, whose cooking blends her Sri Lankan heritage with her upbringing in the American South. She founded Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites in 2016 after hosting Sri Lankan brunches in her home and went on to bring her cooking to pop-ups across the country. In 2023, she opened Tuk Tuk Snack Shop, which was named one of Garden & Gun’s Best New Restaurants of the South in 2025. Today, Sam continues to share her cooking through her online platform and in-person SnackEasy experiences.

In this episode, Sam sits down with Steve to discuss what it’s like showcasing Sri Lankan cuisine to the world, her experience opening up her home for pop-ups and transitioning to bigger and bigger events, and the struggles she faced as a self-taught chef while learning through working in other kitchens.

Thank you to Stolon Food Lab for allowing us to use the space to film this episode.

Jeremiah Langhorne is the chef and co-owner of The Dabney in Washington, D.C., a restaurant that has helped redefine modern American cooking through a deep reverence for Mid-Atlantic ingredients, history, and hearth-driven technique. The Dabney has earned a MICHELIN star every year since the Guide’s D.C. debut, was named a 2025 James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant, and was ranked the #1 restaurant in the District by Washingtonian. Jeremiah himself received the 2018 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic, cementing his place as one of the region’s defining culinary voices

In this episode, Jeremiah joins Steve for a conversation on his journey to Washington, D.C., the mentors and friends who supported him through the various cities where he honed his craft, and the process of opening, adapting, and sustaining The Dabney throughout its 10+ years of business.

Thank you to Stolon Food Lab for allowing us to use the space to film this episode.