The evolution of Roy

Roy’s Korean Kitchen

Chef Roy Oh has been shaping Calgary’s Korean food scene for more than 15 years, first with Anju and now with Roy’s Korean Kitchen. After closing his Mission and Beltline spots, he has reopened in Heritage Square with a new focus on retail. The move, he says, was about finding the space to create and expand — the kitchen and storage here give him room to grow.

Partnering with Chef Anna Jeong, whose soups and side dishes caught his eye, Oh has launched Anna Select by Roy’s Korean Kitchen. Their menu still features staples like bibimbap, kimchi fried rice, Brussels sprouts and chicken wings, alongside evolving offerings that highlight both tradition and playful twists. The space now includes a café featuring Café Monte beans creating drinks made with the same care as the food. Oh credits Calgary’s new wave of young chefs with keeping the city’s dining scene fresh, while still drawing inspiration from the global rise of Korean cuisine. For him, staying unpredictable is part of the fun, there’s as much room for a classic as there is for a TikTok-inspired dish. Looking ahead, he’s excited about retail growth. Currently, you can pick up meals to go, kimchi, gochujang, plus more. Frozen soups will soon hit the shelves at the local Korean grocery store. As Oh reflects, “What inspires me the most is seeing how Korean food has grown worldwide and how mainstream it has become. I’d like to think that, at least in Calgary, I had something to do with that. It makes me proud to be serving Korean food.”

Roy’s Korean Kitchen | #170 N, 8500 Macleod Tr. S.E. | 403.452.0811 | royskoreankitchen.com