Meet Sarah Kim | Restaurant Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Kim and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
For the better half of my career, work WAS my life. I was pulling 80 hour work weeks and drinking too much during my off hours in an attempt to maintain a semblance of a social life- this kind “balance” was definitely not sustainable. Everything has definitely shifted since I’ve become the mother of two headstrong kids, and married my husband Johnnie, who’s also in the restaurant business and struggled with the same balancing act in the past. My life would be impossible if I did not value a healthy work life balance, one that puts a emphasis on life so that my mind and body are sharp and strong for work. Because my life and my business are still tied closely together I need to know when to put my phone down, stop checking my emails, take time off with my family, and enjoy some solo mani-pedi time in order for both to function harmoniously. I know that a healthy work / life balance can be a luxury, especially in Los Angeles, so I am very thankful that I can finally realize it for myself.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I opened Moto Ramen in June 2020 with Chef Yuki Nakamoto, with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working on restaurants since 2005. We offer ramen, bento and small plates with an extensive sake list. Our ramen is not the usual rib-sticking fatty broth, rather it’s in the Okinawa style which is a lighter, more nuanced version which I like to consider more LA-friendly.

I truly believe that the combination of our menu and hospitality really sets up apart from most other ramen restaurants. Our FOH team takes genuine pride in serving well crafted food with warm service, and I know that it comes across to each and every guest. Our hearts are in this daily, and we just want people to have a good time.

In the 17 years that I have owned and operated restaurants the most important lesson I’ve learned is that hospitably is never the product of one individual, but the combined efforts from a team of passionate hearts and minds- there is no room for ego when it comes to the restaurant business.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The entire team at Moto Ramen, my family, my mother, the resilient diverse folks that make Los Angeles so amazing.

Website: www.motoramen.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmotoramen/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/moto-ramen-culver-city-2