Seoul Food DC will mark its 10th anniversary with a scholarship contest, with the Takoma Park restaurant donating $5,000 to a local aspiring restaurant entrepreneur, according to an announcement from Main Street Takoma.
Seoul Food DC, which started in 2011 as a bright pink-colored food truck, opened a brick-and-mortar location in Takoma Park in 2018, in the former home of MAD Fitness at 7302 Carroll Ave.
“With a lifelong passion for cooking and a desire to reinvent the concept of mainstream Korean food, L’Academie de Cuisine graduate and Ritz Carlton-trained Anna Goree started Seoul Food DC as a food truck in 2011, operating in Arlington, VA,” according to the restaurant’s website. “Serving traditional Korean fare such as bibimbap and other eclectic dishes, the hot-pink outpost quickly made a name for itself for wholesome, flavorful, and authentic food. In 2013, Seoul Food DC moved into comfier digs inside a gas station in Wheaton, MD, where Chef Anna redefined “gas station food” – with a constantly rotating menu of inventive dishes – and further honed her philosophy of making food that takes good loving care of the community’s “seoul.” From there, Chef Anna opened her present-day brick-and-mortar in 2018, located in the Takoma Park neighborhood on the outskirts of Washington, DC.”
“On August 22, 2021, Seoul Food will mark a decade of serving the community. From its food truck days to current Takoma Park home, it has been an amazing ride over the years, full of laughter, some tears, lots of hard work, and above all, joy to be doing what they love every day,” said Laura Barclay of the Old Takoma Business Association via email. “All of this wouldn’t have been possible without the support of friends and family and a wonderful community. And now, to celebrate its 10th-year anniversary, Seoul Food wants to pay that gift forward with a donation of $5,000 to one local aspiring small restaurant entrepreneur.”
Current or aspiring small business owners interested in participating should submit an essay describing your business and vision for the community and one (1) vegan recipe of any dish, with an accompanying photo. Submissions can be sent via e-mail at [email protected], with the subject line “Seoul Food 10th (Your Business Name).” Seoul Food recommends sending the essay and recipe in PDF format, to make for easier viewing. The deadline to submit is May 31st.
Photo: Seoul Food D.C. / Instagram