Eric Shin's SeoulSpice Korean Kitchen Gives Back to Nourishing Hope in Chicago

Sierra Pope
Apr 28
2 min read

Updated: May 2

A Korean man posing for an image — Eric Shin posing for an image - Credit: Scott Suchman

Sierra Pope | Multimedia News Intern

3-minute Read

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Good food has a way of bringing people together across cultures, backgrounds, and generations. On April 2, 2025, Eric Shin, the Founder and CEO of SeoulSpice Korean Kitchen, proved a simple meal could be turned into real impact, creating endearing moments for all.

To celebrate the debut of SeoulSpice’s Chicago location, Shin chose to host a Community Day to support Nourishing Hope, one of the largest online hunger relief organizations in the city.

A large group at SeoulSpice — Residents gathering at SeoulSpice’s event - Credit: SeoulSpice (Instagram)

A woman verbally directing a man at a table — Nourishing Hope employee informing a man - Credit: SeoulSpice (Instagram)

At a young age, Shin became a part of the food industry. His parents, who emigrated from Seoul to Atlanta in the 1970s, owned a Korean eatery, and his grandfather was also in the restaurant business in Seoul. Shin used family recipes as a starting point, then created a modern menu with offerings like Korritos—Korean burritos. The first outpost opened in NoMa in 2016. It was a hit, and Shin soon found himself running a real company.

He told FOX 32 Chicago the idea of transforming the grand opening into a service initiative stemmed from the overall mission of “Comfort Food, That's Korean at Heart.”

“At SeoulSpice, we really love being part of the communities that we’re in,” Shin stated. “We are partnering today with Nourishing Hope to fight food insecurity. We’re going to be serving free entrees for every guest between 11:00 and 7:00, and we’ll be collecting donations for Nourishing Hope.”

While income plays a crucial role in success, Shin’s SeoulSpice places its greatest emphasis on people—nurturing the community just as intentionally as they craft their food.

“As a new restaurant coming here to Chicago, the most important thing is to make sure that our people know we are here for them,” the General Manager of SeoulSpice, Bryan Fritz, said on FOX 32 Chicago.

Gratefully, Nourishing Hope eased the burden of food instability in Chicago through the collected donations. Motivated by the cause, Shin and the SeoulSpice team went above and beyond by offering additional profit to show their long-term commitment.

“And any donations we do receive, SeoulSpice will match to further support the community here in Chicago,” Fritz exclaimed.

Since 2016, Shin has continued to build a business that invests in customers by serving with love, one bowl at a time. With devotion to care and flavor, their newest location carries principled core values.

If you are searching for some delicious Korean food that reminds you of home, feel free to stop by in Chicago–or visit them in Washington, Virginia, or Maryland!