Jin Ahn

Jin began his career in restaurant hospitality working as a weekend server in a suburb of Chicago while attending college. His love and passion for the hospitality business led him to work from the bottom at a critically acclaimed Trio Restaurant in Evanston, where he discovered his dream of opening his own restaurant.

In 2006, Jin moved back home to New York City and continued his journey by building a solid foundation at the acclaimed Jean-Georges and Per Se. When an opportunity came to open the very first fine dining Korean restaurant, he accepted an offer to become a General Manager of Jungsik in Tribeca. 

During his tenure, Jungsik earned its first Michelin star, but in 2015, it was time to move on to open his own. Partnering up with Chef Chung Chow, his colleague from per se, Jin opened New York’s sole Hawaiian restaurant named noreetuh. Meaning 'playground' in Korean language, noreetuh has gradually become a destination for wine lovers for its flexible BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) program and its ever-growing German wine selections. 

Never resting a moment, Jin partnered up with Pastry Chef Jonghun Won, a former colleague from Jungsik, and opened Pavé in 2022 with an aim of connecting New Yorkers to the art of fresh baked bread.

In an effort to always learn, Jin has become a frequent visitor to the German wine regions, and was recently served as a Chef Sommelier at the Rieslingfeier Gala in January of 2025.