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The company is known for perfect little pepperonis, wonderfully chewy crust, photo booths and soft serve, but now, Ann Kim’s expanding restaurant group can also count on the impressive culinary prowess of chef Paul Berglund.
Last month Berglund left the The Bachelor Farmer, the restaurant he helmed since it first opened in 2011. In 2016 he won the James Beard Award for Best Chef Midwest for his work there.
The company, collectively known as Vestalia, is run by chef Ann Kim and her husband and partner Conrad Leifur. It operates Pizzeria Lola, Hello Pizza and Young Joni. All serve pizza, and dot the menu with a few touches of Korean dishes inspired by Kim’s family.
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Berglund will act as culinary director for the group, an umbrella position over the restaurants. In a statement Kim said that no current, large scale menu changes are planned for the restaurants. For now, a representative for the group says, “Paul will be working with the chefs and kitchen staff in all three restaurants to learn menus and processes, beginning to provide mentorship and leadership direction.”
