Kimchi—the fiery fermented Korean condiment, often made with cabbage or radishes—is hot on the taste buds and hotter in the marketplace. Korean cuisine as a whole has been drawing buzz, due in part to the craze for fusion tacos—filled with meats like bulgogi, or grilled marinated beef—that originated in Los Angeles. Southern chefs have embraced kimchi in particular as a piquant condiment (it blends surprisingly well with grits).

Hannah Chung, founder of Simply Seoul Kitchen, is quickly becoming Atlanta’s kimchi queen. She sells her balanced, fresh-tasting versions (vegan, based on her grandmother’s recipe) at farmers markets as well as in local Whole Foods Markets. In business only since last April, the thirty-two-year-old’s seemingly overnight success began with a lucky break in 2009.