Timeline of Growth

2016
Atoboy opens
2018
Atomix debuts (2 Michelin Stars)
2021
NARO opens
2025
100+ employees across 3 NYC locations

Faster Hiring

Critical roles filled within 2–4 days across 3 restaurants with 100+ staff

Retention & Fit

Stronger pipelines of career-minded candidates, including career changers and culinary school graduates staying longer and thriving

Employer Branding Impact

Elevated visibility and storytelling strengthened NA:EUN’s profile in NYC's competitive hiring scene.

NA:EUN Hospitality

Based in Manhattan, NA:EUN Hospitality, founded by Chef JP Park and Ellia Park, operates acclaimed restaurants including Atomix (2 Michelin Stars, ranked #12 in World’s 50 Best in 2025), Atoboy, and NARO. With just over 100 employees, NA:EUN is celebrated for modern Korean cuisine, global recognition, and a collaborative culture.

  • Director of People and Culture:

    Saori Minakawa

  • Business Plan:

    Subscription ATS + Ad Bundle (Self-Service)

  • Solution:

    Job Marketing, ATS Recruiting and Hiring Tools, Career Page integration, Employer Branding

The Challenge

Finding the Right Fit Quickly

As a first-time independent restaurant group, NA:EUN’s founders experimented with Craigslist and other generic platforms, but these failed to deliver consistent quality candidates or the speed they needed. Hiring was often urgent, with gaps putting pressure on the team and guest experience.

  • —
    Limited reach to qualified hospitality talent
  • —
    No shared system for collaboration across managers
  • —
    High urgency when turnover created sudden staffing needs
Why Culinary Agents

Trusted Partner from the Beginning

Culinary Agents stood out as the platform designed for restaurants, helping NA:EUN build quality teams from their very first venture. By transitioning exclusively to Culinary Agents, the group gained speed, efficiency, and confidence to expand successfully into new restaurants.

  • Shared access across managers with notes + messaging
  • Templates streamlined outreach, enabling fast responses
  • Rich hospitality-specific talent pool improved fit
  • Employer branding tools supported company story

Results & Impact

Speed

Able to hire within 2–4 days, critical when short-staffed

Higher Retention

Candidate matching and alignment with NA:EUN's culture produced a career-minded team that stays longer and grows with the company

Collaborative Recruiting

Multi-restaurant managers align via shared candidate pool

Employer Branding

Elevated visibility and storytelling strengthened NA:EUN’s profile in the NYC hiring scene

Strategic Value of Partnership

From the launch of their first restaurant, Atoboy, JP and Ellia Park recognized the need for a reliable hiring platform that could scale with their vision. After testing other tools like Craigslist, Culinary Agents quickly stood out for its efficiency and industry focus. Today, NA:EUN Hospitality has grown into a globally recognized group with Michelin stars and a World’s 50 Best ranking — and Culinary Agents has been a trusted partner throughout, supporting both their rapid day-to-day needs and long-term expansion.
  • 1Proven from the Start: Culinary Agents has been NA:EUN’s go-to hiring platform since Atoboy, helping them scale into Atomix and NARO with confidence.
  • 2Efficient & Effective Tools: Templates, messaging, and collaborative features enable managers to hire quickly and coordinate seamlessly across multiple restaurants.
  • 3Speed with Retention: Fast, streamlined hiring processes combined with NA:EUN’s culture result in strong retention and long-term team stability.
  • 4Partner in Growth & Recognition: Culinary Agents supports NA:EUN’s journey from a single independent restaurant to an acclaimed group with Michelin stars and global awards.

Notable Success Story

Culinary Agents has played a pivotal role in shaping NA:EUN Hospitality’s leadership team and fueling its growth. Saori herself was first hired via Culinary Agents, beginning as the General Manager of Atomix before rising to Director of People & Culture. Director of Operations Ahris Kim also came through the platform and has been a key driver of the group’s expansion and success. Together with these leaders, countless hourly and salaried roles have been filled through Culinary Agents, ensuring NA:EUN’s restaurants remain fully staffed and competitive.
  • Leadership Growth: Saori advanced from General Manager of Atomix to Director of People & Culture, starting with a Culinary Agents application
  • Strategic Hire: Director of Operations Ahris Kim joined through Culinary Agents and has been instrumental in NA:EUN’s growth
  • Talent Depth: Culinary Agents consistently delivers high-quality hourly and salaried hires across all locations
  • Sustainable Growth: The platform supports both urgent backfill needs and long-term pipeline building
Advice for Other Businesses
Culinary Agents is invaluable. Building a team is the hardest part, and CA makes it possible.

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