Simon Kim will open New York “fried chicken cathedral” Coqodaq on Friday, January 12, and he sees an even bigger market opportunity than he did when he debuted game-changing Korean steakhouse Cote in 2017.

“Some people love red meat, and some people don’t,” Kim, who earned a Michelin star at Cote, tells Observer. “Everybody, unless you’re pescatarian or vegetarian, loves chicken. Everyone has this strong nostalgic connection to fried chicken. And America has been consuming more and more chicken per capita. My premise came from, how come we’re stuck with KFC and Popeyes? I thought it was time for us to be able to create something that’s a little more elevated. So we started on this journey about four-and-a-half years ago.”

Kim visited regenerative farms in Nebraska and Arkansas, but in the end, it wasn’t the right fit. “The mission was too good. So taste-wise, it was just not quite there,” he says.

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Then the restaurateur found a Pennsylvania Amish farm with pasture-raised, antibiotic-free, hormone-free chickens that are fed a completely vegetarian diet. The flavor and texture of the meat was ideal for Kim’s plans. Once the sourcing was sorted, chef/partner SK Kim (no relation)........

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