Korean Village Han Kuk Kwan Restaurant

When Jason Lee graduated from college and showed up for his first day of work as the general manager of his parents’ eatery, Korean Village Restaurant, he was expecting to get shown to an office. “But my mother gives me a mop and says ‘go clean the washroom,’” he remembers. “That was my first task working here. I was humbled.”

The dedicated work ethic of his mother and father, both co-founders of Korean Village Restaurant, is what has kept the eatery going strong since it first opened in 1978. When the restaurant is busy, Jason’s mother still helps out with clearing and setting tables. “If someone from the kitchen calls in sick, she’ll be the first one to put on an apron, whether it’s to wash dishes, prep or cook,” Jason explains. “The one thing I learned from my mom is leading by example. So if my mother has to do those things, I’ll do those things. No questions asked.”