Delicious Done Right

By Anna Grace Moore

Photos by Untold Imagery

The ways in which the Lord brings people together often play out like puzzle pieces being placed in a pattern larger than one can initially see. Young and Kookie Shin’s journey started when they met state-side, thousands of miles away from their hometowns in Korea.

Young immigrated from Korea to the U.S. when he was 16 years old. While in school, he began working at Kobe Japanese Steakhouse, learning the ins and outs of running a restaurant as he progressed through the ranks from busboy to hibachi chef.

In 1998, Young ventured into entrepreneurship and opened Wings and Teriyaki in Birmingham and later on, Wings and Stuff in Fairfield. As Young’s restaurants garnered success, he sold them in 2010 and 2012 before opening his third restaurant concept, Pho Pho Vietnamese and Sushi Bar, in 2015 in Five Points South.

Kookie, however, did not get her start in the food industry.

After graduating from college in the U.S., Kookie moved back to her home country–Korea–and began working for Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC), which broadcasts radio shows sharing Christian messages into countries with little-to-no knowledge of the Gospel. Kookie, who is bilingual, would conduct Christian radio shows for children in English, so those listening could learn English and learn about Jesus, too.

Kookie also did tele counseling, listening and offering advice to callers phoning in about their daily struggles. At the end of every call, she always offered to pray for them, too.

“I worked there for four years,” Kookie says. “Now, [the FEBC] has close to 15 stations. Sometimes, we would get letters from underground churches, so that’s how we knew someone was hearing Christ. It makes me more appreciative where I am right now that I can worship God.”

In the early 2000s, Kookie decided to pursue her master’s degree in public administration and returned to the U.S. She attended Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi, where she reunited with one of her friends in ministry from the FEBC.

He was working at Southeastern Bible College in Inverness at the time, and one Thanksgiving break, he invited Kookie to stay and celebrate the holiday with his family in Birmingham. While in town, Kookie says she learned about Briarwood Presbyterian Church’s Korean ministry and attended one of the ministry’s community picnics.

It was there that Kookie met Young’s parents, who introduced her to him. The two quickly fell in love and tied the knot in 2012, and in 2016, they welcomed their pride and joy into the world–their daughter, Esther.

Not long after did the Shins–now a dynamic duo–make the decision to close the Five Points South location of Pho Pho Vietnamese and Sushi Bar in 2019 before opening another location in the Pizitz Food Hall that same year. The following year, Young and Kookie also opened Pho Pho Asian Cuisine in 2020 in the Hoover Village shopping center.

With their hard-earned success, it was no surprise when chef Matt Ralph–the mastermind who created The Standard–approached his next-door-neighbor restaurateurs in the Pizitz Food Hall about whether they would be interested in purchasing The Standard from him as he was moving states.

“Matt thought we could carry on the menu and ingredients the way he designed it,” Kookie says. “That’s how we got the name, ‘The Standard.’”

If there is one thing both Young and Kookie have learned in the food industry, it is that every level of the business must be held to a high standard in order for it to be successful. When taking over The Standard in the Pizitz Food Hall, Kookie says she and Young wanted to pay homage to Matt and decided not to change the menu or the aesthetic because The Standard was already a popular destination for all foods “Birmingham.”

It was not until 2020, however, that a customer presented the Shins with the opportunity to expand into the Vestavia City Center. In April 2023, Young and Kookie opened The Standard in Vestavia Hills, and they feel so excited about being a part of the community.

“We wanted to open in the Vestavia City Center because customers would enjoy the open space and the kid-friendly atmosphere,” Kookie says.

Glancing at The Standard’s menu, the retro diner sports a small but tasty variety of some of the best burgers, hotdogs, philly cheesesteaks, fries and milkshakes in town. Kookie’s favorite–the chicken philly–has chargrilled chicken, grilled onions, white American cheese and garlic aioli.

Another fan favorite–the patty melt–combines two grilled hamburger patties, pimento cheese, mayonnaise and pickled onions on a crisp potato bun. These delectable delights yield a plethora of flavor in every bite.

No matter one’s taste palate, he is sure to find something he will love on the menu. Vegetarians will love the black bean veggie burger, which layers lettuce, tomato, avocado, chipotle mayo and white American cheese together between two potato buns.

Not sure what to try first? Kookie recommends ordering either The Standard burger with Standard Sauce or the double bacon cheeseburger. One can even custom order toppings including fried eggs, grilled onions or smashed avocado.

“Our burgers have always had the same taste: ‘fresh-made every morning,’” Kookie says. “The taste explains how our food is made.”

Young believes that the best restaurants serve the best food, and that begins by utilizing the freshest ingredients, making food in-house, fresh, daily. Whenever a customer takes a bite out of his fried bologna sandwich, he can rest assured, knowing it was made that day–just for him.

The Shins believe they have been able to provide a wonderful life here in Vestavia Hills for their family, but their journey may never have been as successful without the support of their loyal customers. Looking forward, Young and Kookie say they will continue to serve both the Birmingham and Vestavia Hills communities through their businesses, prioritizing customer satisfaction–evident in every bite.

To their customers, they say, “Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.”

The Standard is located at 700 Montgomery Highway, Suite 164. It is open every day from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. For more information, visit thestandardbhm.com.