Snug immersive Korean-inspired dining opens at Chatsworth Rd, Coorparoo

With a capacity of 35, this new Korean-inspired southside cafe run by two chefs with elite pedigree fits the bill for diners who like to get close to the action in the kitchen, but the competition for seats can be fierce.

The couple said they are making sure people have a great time and see that the place is pumping.

Young chefs from some of Brisbane’s finest restaurants have taken on their own venture at Coorparoo, fusing western and trending Korean delicacies with a unique immersive dining experience for guests.

Chefs and fiances Leaham Claydon and Jianne Jeoung have opened Snug, incorporating their love for cosy dining, customer interaction and quality wine.

The couple had been serving dishes to guests at fine dining venues at Howard Smith Wharf before securing their own business in March 2024.

Mr Claydon said “trending” Korean-inspired dishes they experienced on a visit to South Korea last year sparked their interest, inspiring them to bring the flavours to Brisbane.

“They do it so much better over there, customers are involved in their dining experience as they watch chefs create,” Mr Claydon said.

“We wanted to one-up every other cafe around here, and going one step further in efforts to enhance their experience is so important to us.

Chefs and couple Leaham Claydon and Jianne Jeoung have opened ‘Snug’,

“We are making sure people have a great time and see that the place is pumping.

“Almost half of our seating is along the kitchen counter so guests can watch as their dish is being prepared and interact with us to ask how we are doing everything.”

Miss Jeoung said the restaurant has been their passion for a long time and the couple are excited to create their own dishes.

“We have both worked in huge restaurants where it is almost impossible to suggest a dish, now we have our own place we can get super creative,” she said.

“We have a few winners such as the egg drop sandwich, fresh pretzels and our special prawn dish.

“Our menu is based on Westernised food that Koreans eat and the experience we had when we were there, we noticed they fiddle around with Western food and put their own take on it which is what we have done.

“We wanted a little place we can manage and run ourselves without having to hire 25 people, this is a manageable space for both of us.”

The couple said when they opened for their first weekend of fine dining brunch last week they didn’t expect the customer line-up to exceed their capacity of 35.

The couple said they are making sure people have a great time and see that the place is pumping.

“When we started we prepped five prawns and went through nearly 50,” Miss Jeoung said.

“On our biggest days we have had 480 people through the door, with 250 ordering meals.

“We are so excited to see guests are loving the place and we get to interact with them all about our journey and our dishes.”

Mr Claydon said Snug will soon be opening the doors of their shop and wine bar underneath their current seating plan.

“We have found a niche in the Coorparoo area with locals super keen to try it out rather than having to trek all the way into the city,” he said.

“We’ll have a second space like a garage underneath where people can buy a bottle and drink it there, a communal dining space and areas for functions and events down there.

“The community is begging for a wine bar.”

Miss Jeoung described the “vibe” of the venue as minimalistic.

“We built the whole renovation ourselves, down to the timber floors and kitchen sides,” she said.

“The vibe of the place is green and grey, with Korean ceramics placed around which people have been loving.”

Mr Claydon said he has never had the opportunity to interact with customers up close and explain what he is serving for them.

“When they’re watching you and they’re curious it’s the best thing to share with them how you’re making their food and tell them your story rather than the story of someone else’s restaurant,” he said.

Snug is open on weekdays from 6am – 3pm and weekends from 7am – 3pm.