Chef Yoon Nam-no reveals harsh restaurant realities after 600 million won loan

Chef Yoon Nam-no has candidly shared the realistic difficulties of running a restaurant and the harsh profit structure of the food service industry.

On the 13th, a video titled "Please Take Care of Yoon Nam-no (with Kim Poong, Kid Milli)" was posted on the YouTube channel 'Chimchak Man'.

On this day, Chimchak Man, Kim Poong, and Kid Milli visited Yoon Nam-no's restaurant, which recently opened in Apgujeong, Seoul, to taste a course meal and engage in various conversations.

While looking around the food and tableware, Kim Poong joked, "At this level, it looks like you're half-heartedly doing 'Chef & My Fridge'," to which Yoon Nam-no laughed and replied, "I am doing my best, but I'm not quite there yet compared to you, hyung."

The restaurant is currently in its soft opening stage. Yoon Nam-no explained, "It will likely take about two months until the official opening. I think things will get better if we coordinate our teamwork for about another month, but the entire team is still in the process of needing more experience."

He continued to share the reality of restaurant management without reservation.

"The soft opening is essentially a period where we accept losses," he said, adding, "It might sound a bit extreme, but I believe a chef must work through a certain amount of hardship."

He further expressed his values as a chef, stating, "You shouldn't only chase happiness. Seeing customers enjoy their meals amidst a difficult process is the greatest reward and romance."

However, he confessed that the realistic profit structure was much tougher than expected.

Yoon Nam-no surprised the cast by revealing, "I didn't know the profit would be this low. The cost for just the plates and cutlery exceeds 70 million won."

He was also honest about his thoughts on staff management.

"Currently, I am handling the main chef role by myself," he said. "I plan to recruit more personnel in the future, but for now, I am letting the staff gain as much experience as possible. I believe we can grow together only after enduring that process."

During filming, when the sound of a wine glass breaking was heard in the hall, Yoon Nam-no hurriedly left his seat. After checking the situation, he reported, "Four expensive wine glasses broke." When Kim Poong asked, "Is it around 1,200,000 won?", Yoon Nam-no gave a bitter smile, saying, "It's not quite that much, but it is a shame."

Previously, Yoon Nam-no had revealed on MBC's 'The Manager' that he had taken out a loan of approximately 600 million won to open his Apgujeong restaurant. At that time, he gained sympathy by sharing the reality of starting a food service business, confessing, "Since the loan interest goes out every month, I essentially have no salary right now."