Albert Pae
KOBA Korean BBQ
Born in Los Angeles (1991), Albert grew up in a family of lifelong restaurateurs and entrepreneurs —where food and hospitality were a love language. Before stepping into the kitchen, he trained as a flutist at The Juilliard School, the Royal College of Music (London),... READ MORE
Born in Los Angeles (1991), Albert grew up in a family of lifelong restaurateurs and entrepreneurs —where food and hospitality were a love language. Before stepping into the kitchen, he trained as a flutist at The Juilliard School, the Royal College of Music (London), and the Hochschule für Musik und Theater (Hamburg), studying under Sir James Galway and performing on world stages including the Vienna Musikverein and the Berlin Philharmonie. In 2017, Albert joined his family’s deli/bakery business, earning “Top Caterer in NYC” recognition from EZ Cater in his first full year and keeping the doors open every single day through COVID. On Saturdays he taught himself to cook, developing the recipes that became KOBA—launched in 2021 from a small counter inside the family shop. A year later he opened his first brick–and–mortar; today KOBA spans three Manhattan locations. KOBA was founded in hopes of making traditional Korean flavors and dishes easily accessible and enjoyable anytime, anywhere. Albert’s dream is to establish a foundation that mentors talented, hardworking people so they can realize their potential and live life to the fullest.
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