By Connie Uy-Pidelo-Ona
Bang’s Chicken in Penrith could be considered the pinnacle of the more than 20 years’ food and hospitality career of Mr Kyeonghwan Bang.
He has maintained a strong passion for the culinary arts and sciences, since he started as a university student who majored in this field in South Korea in his early 20s, before he came to Australia where he continued to study and patiently pursue his dream of becoming a chef.
Mr Bang’s boneless fried chicken, which he recommends as a must-try in his store’s menu, is the item customers order for takeaway. And it’s no surprise, as it always has a fresh taste to it, so juicy and tender that you would want to order again. Some even say they crave it for days after they’ve tried it for the first
time!
This favourite on the menu comes with two side dishes, coleslaw and crunchy pickled radish, that all add a tangy and sweet twist of flavour to the main dish, along with six types of sauces to choose from.
Open and doing business for just over 18 months, Bang’s is the only Korean fried chicken takeaway shop along Penrith’s busiest street.
Penrith locals are saying it has an unparalleled taste, that when eaten instantly transports customers to the very heart of Seoul as they savor and experience a staple in Korean
cuisine.
Bang’s excellent offerings on his takeaway menu is the result of years and years of study and having survived and lived through a wide, diverse variety of jobs, mostly related to the food business.
Mr Bang’s wife and young son are always around to help him and give him inspiration in his first solo business project. When asked what his guiding principle in life is and what advice he can give to those who want to become a chef like him, he says “Practice makes perfect”. He also learned that networking is a very important skill in the food and hospitality industry in Australia. Other skills that he says will help are knowledge on how to save on food ingredients and equipment cost, being flexible, being ready to shift to another type of food business when the going gets tough and making customers satisfied and happy.
He considers this last one as the key priority skill to a successful food business. For instance, he gives customers a loyalty sticker card that gives free fried chicken, after ten orders, depending on the size of the orders (which comes in small, medium, large and family). Because of this offer and his
super tasty chicken, he now has a growing number of loyal customers who have become his friends and they line up in long queues at his shop mostly on Friday nights and on weekends.
The future seems to be bright for Bang’s Chicken. Plans on the horizon include opening another branch and serving snack deals for students at nearby schools. Like other food business owners, he also envisions his store to become a global chain someday.
Turning this dream into a reality would not be too difficult for Mr Bang as he already has all the ingredients that he needs if ever he will join the fierce international food franchise competition. He is already used to hard work, he has all the necessary culinary skills and he has a strong, fierce and focused mindset.
In the future, when this does happen, Penrith will be very proud to have been the birthplace of a small-time fried chicken business that has become a global icon when it comes to selling the freshest, tastiest and juiciest fried chicken brand.
Opening hours: Tues to Sun 11 am to 9 pm Closed on Mondays
Available for Catering, Phone and Online Orders
