TBD Gimbap Opens in the West Village with Chef Jihan Lee’s Personal Take on Korean Comfort Food

New York’s West Village continues to attract chefs who use small spaces to explore big ideas. The latest arrival, TBD Gimbap, takes a simple Korean staple and turns it into a focused culinary concept. Now open at 31 Carmine Street, the intimate pop-up is the newest project from Chef Jihan Lee and Launchpad Hospitality, the team behind the acclaimed temaki restaurant Nami Nori.

For Lee, TBD Gimbap is not simply a new restaurant concept. The project reflects his Korean heritage and childhood memories, shaped through a modern lens that mirrors the creative community surrounding the West Village.

At its core, TBD Gimbap centers on one dish: gimbap, the Korean rice roll traditionally wrapped in seaweed and filled with vegetables, protein, and seasoned rice. Often enjoyed as a portable meal or snack, the dish holds a place in everyday Korean cooking.

Chef Jihan Lee builds on that foundation with a concise takeaway menu that highlights both classic and contemporary flavor combinations. The current selection includes:

• Beef Bulgogi Gimbap

• Spicy Pork Gimbap

• Tuna Mayo Gimbap

• Special Ham Gimbap

• Soy Garlic Tofu Gimbap

• Carrot Inferno Gimbap

The menu will continue to evolve. In the coming weeks, the pop-up plans to introduce limited-time gimbap specials alongside hyper-visual surprise desserts designed to add an element of discovery to the experience.

The concept intentionally keeps the format simple. The focus remains on the craftsmanship of the rolls and the story behind them.

TBD Gimbap occupies the former Postcard Bakery space on Carmine Street, which has been fully redesigned to reflect Lee’s aesthetic vision.

The dining room seats just 10 guests, with an additional standing bar that reinforces the casual takeaway format. The interior follows a minimalist, Scandinavian-inspired design, creating a calm and uncluttered atmosphere.

Art plays an important role in the room. Lee curated the pieces himself, selecting works across several mediums that reflect his creative influences. Above the counter, a neon sign delivers a playful message to diners: “no soy sauce required.”

The result feels less like a traditional restaurant and more like a creative studio built around food.

Chef Jihan Lee brings extensive experience to the project. As chef-partner of Launchpad Hospitality, he has helped shape the culinary identity behind Nami Nori, the Japanese temaki restaurant known for its open-style hand rolls.

Lee is a second-generation Korean sushi chef whose career includes time in several notable kitchens. Early in his career, he worked at Morimoto and Sushi Samba, two restaurants known for their influence on modern Japanese dining in the United States.

He later joined Kappo Masa, working under Chef Masa Takayama, the only sushi chef in the country with three Michelin stars.

Today, Lee is most often found leading the temaki bar at Nami Nori West Village while also playing a broader role within Launchpad Hospitality. His responsibilities include developing brand partnerships and building connections across the music, fashion, and art communities.

Lee is also widely engaged with New York’s Asian American and Pacific Islander culinary community, which continues to shape his approach to hospitality.

Launchpad Hospitality has built a reputation through its work with Nami Nori, which specializes in open-style temaki hand rolls. The concept has expanded beyond its West Village origins and now includes locations in Williamsburg, Montclair, New Jersey, Miami, Florida, and Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The restaurant has earned several notable recognitions. The New York Times awarded Nami Nori two stars, and the restaurant has appeared on multiple national lists including Esquire’s “Best New Restaurant in America 2020,” Robb Report’s “10 Best New Restaurants in America,” and Bloomberg’s “Best Restaurant Dishes of 2019.”

The group has also partnered with Grammy Award winning musician and Louis Vuitton Creative Director Pharrell Williams to open locations in the Miami Design District and Virginia Beach.

TBD Gimbap represents a different scale for the hospitality group. The concept trades the structure of a full restaurant for a compact pop-up format that highlights storytelling and experimentation.

The name TBD Gimbap hints at a project still in motion. The format allows Chef Jihan Lee to introduce new ideas, seasonal specials, and evolving menu items while staying rooted in the cultural significance of the dish.

For New York diners, the result is a new destination that combines Korean comfort food, thoughtful design, and a chef’s personal narrative.