Ann Kim Biography: Age, Husband, Height, Net Worth, Parents, Restaurant, Awards, Career

Eun-Kyung Kim, commonly known as Ann Kim, is an American Chef and restaurateur.

She is widely recognized for her innovative wood-fired pizzas that blend Korean flavors with Italian techniques, as well as for opening acclaimed spots like Pizzeria Lola, Hello Pizza, and Young Joni, earning national acclaim for her bold, personal approach to food that celebrates immigrant stories and Midwestern hospitality.

Quick Facts

• Full Name: Eun-Kyung Kim
• Stage Name: Ann Kim
• Born: 1973
• Age: 53 years old
• Birthplace: Busan, South Korea
• Nationality: American
• Ethnicity: Korean
• Occupation: Chef and Restaurateur
• Height: Unknown
• Religion: Unknown
• Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Kim
• Siblings: 1
• Spouse: Conrad Leifur
• Children: None
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $2 million

Early Life and Education

Ann Kim was born in 1973 in Busan, South Korea, and immigrated with her family to the United States in 1977 at the age of four, first spending time in Burnsville before settling in Apple Valley, Minnesota.

She grew up with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Kim, one sister, and her maternal grandmother, who along with her mother taught her traditional Korean cooking from a young age.

Kim participated in the theater program at Apple Valley High School and later moved to New York City, where she earned an English degree from Columbia University, graduating in 1995.

Her ethnicity is Korean, and her religion remains unknown.

Career

Ann Kim returned to Minneapolis after college and spent eight years working as a professional actress before deciding to enter the restaurant business with no prior kitchen experience.

In 2010, she and her then-partner Conrad Leifur opened Pizzeria Lola, a wood-fired pizzeria in South Minneapolis that quickly gained attention for its creative toppings, including Korean-inspired elements like kimchi, drawing from her heritage and New York slice-shop memories.

Early success on national lists and television features helped establish her as a fresh voice in the local dining scene.

She expanded her portfolio with Hello Pizza, an East Coast-style slice shop, followed by Young Joni, which earned widespread praise for its inventive menu and warm atmosphere.

These ventures led to her becoming the first woman and person of color from Minneapolis to win the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Midwest in 2019.

Her restaurants have appeared on “best of” lists from GQ, Esquire, and the New York Times, while she has been featured on Netflix’s Chef’s Table: Pizza.

Kim later opened Sooki & Mimi and Kim’s, further exploring Korean-American flavors, and continues to influence the industry through collaborations such as frozen pizza lines with Target.

Awards and Nominations

• James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Midwest (2019)
• Multiple “Best Of” restaurant recognitions for Pizzeria Lola, Hello Pizza, and Young Joni (various years)

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @annbkool
• Facebook Handle: Unknown
• Twitter Handle: Unknown

Personal Life

Ann Kim, 52 years old with her height kept private, shares her life with husband and business partner Conrad Leifur, whom she met before opening their first restaurant together.

The couple has no children, and she often refers to her restaurants as her “children.”

She draws deeply from her Korean immigrant roots and family ties, including her mother Young, while maintaining a focus on hospitality and storytelling through food in the Twin Cities.

Net Worth

Ann Kim has an estimated net worth of around $2 million.

This comes primarily from her successful restaurant group, including ownership of Pizzeria Lola and Hello Pizza, along with brand collaborations, media appearances such as Netflix’s Chef’s Table, and entrepreneurial projects like frozen food lines that extend her culinary reach.