Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason And Sue Chin
Hi Jason and Sue, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Jason- I am a second generation restaurateur. My mom and dad started the first Seito Sushi in Winter Park back in 2000. And that is where I got started in the restaurant business.
Back then, it was just a part time job for me (willingness aside) and I never really thought of it as something I wanted to pursue professionally. I mean, I started as a dishwasher so it wasn’t really something that I instantly fell in love with. But looking back now, I really appreciate the way my parents guided me through the business from the ground up. And ironically now, I love washing dishes, it is something that I find therapeutic.
As I learned the other duties within the restaurant, I really grew to love the business. I loved the people with whom I was working, so many different walks of life and incredible stories that you wouldn’t believe. But what really got me was what the restaurant meant for our diners. I grew to realize that it wasn’t just a place for people to come to eat, but truly a place where guests would come to relax and escape their lives for a while and to connect with the ones they love most. Before this realization, I never fully understood how truly meaningful a restaurant could be in people’s lives. This made it special for me and something that I realized I could spend the best years of my professional career pursuing.
I also met my wife, Sue, at that original Seito location, so it holds special place in my heart. Sue comes from a very interesting professional background, designing theme parks, that translated very well to the restaurant business. And when she decided to leave her profession to help me in the restaurant, that is when things really took off.
After operating and further developing the Seito location in Baldwin Park for close to 10 years we decided to branch out and try our hand at bringing something new to us and Orlando. We took inspiration from the places we fell in love with during our travels and made the conscious decision early on that we would take each new opportunity to open something new and unique to our group and to the community in which we would open.
Fast forward to today and we now have four unique concepts within our restaurant group, Good Salt. They are Seito, The Osprey, Reyes Mezcaleria and The Monroe. We are currently working on concept number five, Sparrow Wine Bar that will be opening two doors down from Reyes Mezcaleria in the North Quarter and are also working on number six, which we are not yet ready to announce just yet, but we are super excited about it.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I wonder if anyone who has been in the restaurant business for a while can say that it has been a smooth road. When you get started in the business it kind of forces you to grow. There is so much that you need to handle all at once that you are always out of your comfort zone, so you have to really grow as a person to thrive in the environment. And of course there are always struggles when it comes to growth. What has made the biggest difference for us is focusing on building the best team and putting our trust in them and in their talents and passion. Letting go of the unrealistic expectation that you can be everywhere all the time is hard to do. But once we did, it was truly a turning point in our career and our lives.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are an Orlando based restaurant group that currently owns and operates 4 unique dining concepts with number 5 slated to open in the spring of 2025. We aim to contribute to the cultural fabric of Orlando by creating destination worthy dining establishments within the neighborhood districts of Orlando. We view each new opening to be an opportunity to bring something fresh and exciting for both our group and the Orlando market alike. We made a conscious decision early on that, as we grow, we would not replicate a concept but, rather, have each location stand on its own merits.
What I am most proud of is the team that we have built. We have such an incredible and diverse group of hospitality professionals that we have the privilege to work with each day. This year (2025), we actually received the incredible honor of being named as a semi-finalist in the Outstanding Restaurateur category of the James Beard Awards. This honor could not have been possible without the team that we stand by, who believe in the vision and mission and make magic happen everyday.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://goodsaltgrp.com
- Instagram: @goodsalt_rg, @seitobp, @theospreyorlando, @reyesmezcaleria, @themonroeorlando, @sparroworl
Image Credits
Good Salt Restaurant Group
