Momofuku Ko opening (2008)
Chef David Chang opened a 12-seat tasting-menu restaurant in New York's East Village, years after launching the casual Momofuku Noodle Bar. The high-end room earned two Michelin stars in the 2009 guide.
The reservation-only room became one of the city's hardest tables and boosted Chang's profile.
It showed a chef could extend a casual brand upward into fine dining under the same name.
Like Chang, An is betting that the reputation of her casual brand, Special Noodle, can carry a higher-end namesake room.
