How an honorary IT student becomes CEO of a restaurant chain with 50 locations

Moments of despair

Our first impression upon meeting Jeong Han Seok in Vietnam was his smile and eyes. His friendliness, openness, and enthusiasm for discussing cuisine, and particularly his dream of conquering the "Vietnamese cuisine" market, were evident through his smile, eyes, and gestures during our conversation.

Jeong Han Seok holds the helm as CEO of ATD, a company operating a network of 50 restaurants in major shopping centers across South Korea. With a workforce of over 300 employees, the company generated over 30 million USD of revenue in 2023. Additionally, ATD currently owns 10 restaurant brands, which are directly researched, developed, and operated by the company within the South Korean market.

Jeong Han Seok took the plunge into the restaurant industry by opening his very first establishment in 2014. Amidst the endless paperwork and administrative duties, he realized the limitations of desk work, as well as the importance of hands-on involvement in the day-to-day activities of his restaurant. Fuelled by this realization, he assumed the role of restaurant management, setting out detailed, step-by-step plans to steer his own path for the future.

Jeong Han Seok recalled, "At the time, I found myself getting into work early and staying behind after closing hours much later than the staff members. I personally took on tasks, and educated myself through this period. Fortunately, it wasn't long before we experienced a significant uptick in sales after I took direct control of the restaurant. The restaurant also garnered a highly favorable reputation during this time."

"These early stages were truly challenging for me. I often found myself in tears due to the overwhelming sense of helplessness," Jeong Han Seok shared emotionally.

Despite the formidable obstacles encountered with his first restaurant venture, Jeong Han Seok remained determined. Instead of yielding to adversity, he began planning to expand into major shopping centers with the aim of expanding business operations. CEO Jeong Han Seok is currently optimistic about taking ATD public through an IPO within the next three years.

Expectations for a deeper connection with Vietnam

At present, ATD has not made any investments in the Vietnamese market; however, the company plans to establish a presence in Vietnam starting with the Lotte Mall, followed by planned expansions into the broader Southeast Asian region.

"ATD's primary objective is to effectively operate restaurants under direct management, and subsequently expand the chain through franchising. Looking ahead, we plan to expand and develop into the Southeast Asian region, starting with Vietnam," Jeong Han Seok stated.

Starting from a single restaurant and expanding to a chain of 50 establishments with over 300 employees, ATD aims to replicate this successful model in Vietnam.

Jeong Han Seok stated, "In addition to our restaurants, our restaurant chain in South Korea is relatively comprehensive, including departments for development, market research, IT development, a central kitchen, a manufacturing plant supplying ingredients for the restaurants, and so on. We want to implement this system in the Vietnamese market. This foundation gives us confidence in our ability to conquer this market."

Jeong Han Seok revealed that he was an honorary IT student at Seoul National University, and had previously worked for several renowned companies in South Korea. However, his lifelong passion for cuisine, particularly for Vietnamese dishes, led him to boldly venture into the culinary field.

"The simple reason I transitioned from IT to the culinary field is because I found a job that I can be passionate about, and I feel fulfilled with it," shared Jeong Han Seok.

Jeong Han Seok nostalgically reminisced, "In the early 1990s, Vietnamese cuisine made its way to South Korea and quickly became popular among the population. As a student, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to try Vietnamese dishes. I was deeply impressed at that time and formed the idea of opening a restaurant featuring Vietnamese cuisine if I ever had the chance."

Jeong Han Seok noted that this was his second visit to Vietnam. His strongest impression of the country was of the dynamic, hardworking, and energetic nature of its people. Through this visit, he gained a deeper understanding of Vietnamese culture and cuisine; and expressed his desire for a stronger connection with Vietnam.

"While we currently lack in-depth knowledge of the Vietnamese market, we have established a strong reputation and successfully operated restaurant chains featuring Vietnamese cuisine in South Korea. I understand that the Vietnamese market will pose significant challenges; however, we have the foundation to execute our plans, and I believe there is great potential," Jeong Han Seok confidently stated.

"The key to success within the food industry, in addition to the obvious priority of delicious food, lies in safety and quality. However, we must also focus on other aspects such as financial management, personnel, IT systems, etc. These supporting elements are aimed at our motto of 'All to delicious - ATD'. We must fulfill these requirements in order to be successful," emphasized Jeong Han Seok, CEO of ATD Company.