Most restaurants fail. It’s something said frequently in the industry, it’s seen in every neighborhood and is supported by numerous statistics and studies. So when Keegan Fong told his mom he wanted to quit his successful job in apparel marketing to open a restaurant featuring their family recipes, one could understand her skepticism. It probably didn’t help that Keegan never even so much as worked a few shifts in a restaurant as a busboy before. However, Keegan was undeterred by his lack of experience, he told his mom it was happening with or without her cooking expertise.

Prior to this decision, Keegan had always wanted to share his family recipes with the world, so he had recruited his mom, sister and other family members to help him with a weekend food cart selling only two items – a stir fry wok noodle and pork belly. It started as a fun project to do with his family, but after an immense amount of positive feedback and growing demand, Keegan realized it could evolve into something much bigger. This success was in huge part to the unique recipes his mom had developed thanks to her mix of Shanghai, Hong Kong and American upbringing. Starting with classic Chinese dishes but tweaking them to cater to her surroundings and appeal to her American-born children, Mama Fong was not afraid to eschew traditional norms.

After some convincing, Mama Fong agreed to help Keegan open a brick-and-mortar location in Los Angeles, which he jokes was to ensure her recipes were being properly done more than anything else. So, in 2019, on the border of Filipino Town and Silver Lake, Keegan opened Woon, which means “bowl” in Cantonese. Now, almost 5 years on, with a host of high-profile collaborations, a line of prepackaged food products and a soon-to-be-opened second location, it’s safe to say that Woon has overcome the statistical odds and is a wild success.

“I think my lack of experience helped me approach things differently. I wanted to keep it simple, I choose 10 of my favorite dishes from my childhood and didn’t change anything about them. There are a lot of restaurants where everything feels like too much, I wanted Woon to be approachable. Something comfortable and easy.”

Born and raised in the surfing and skateboarding culture of southern California, Keegan helped launch and build the apparel giant Vissla, where he honed his skills in brand building and storytelling. This is something that is incredibly clear when eating at Woon. While the unique food and flavors are always at the forefront, the restaurant has an unmistakable elegance and honesty that adds a fresh layer to the experience. Keegan is both paying homage to his heritage and mother while making a statement about his own community and taste. Woon both feels contemporary and traditional, it’s praised by restaurant aficionados and casual diners.

There’s an eclectic mix of patrons -- families, first dates, people grabbing a quick bite at the bar... It’s a place of community. There’s an honesty to the experience. Most of the décor is borrowed from his mom’s house, much of the furniture and signage was made by friends, and the art on the walls is a mix of traditional hangings from his uncle, JF Chen and pieces from local artists. Keegan recognizes that with Woon, the story is authenticity. A second-generation American honoring his family's past while showcasing his own modern story.

“I’m all about being organic, letting things happen naturally, and seeing where it takes us. My mom is very much involved in the kitchen and the story of this place, she’s also huge into feng shui so the colors are balancing of the elements. For the logo I wanted it to be something simple and recognizable we could use across apparel and branded packaged goods as well.”

Now with the initial success of Woon as a restaurant comes the next phase for Keegan. He already has several apparel and product collaborations under his belt and is working on another with a local up-and-coming brand, Metalwood Studios. He’s building out a packaged goods business and he is also opening and second larger restaurant location in Pasadena. Keegan is expanding Woon to be more than a dining experience. Coming from apparel Keegan understands how collaboration is a powerful tool and is leveraging that to catapult what was a successful local experience into something much bigger.

“The goal was always to find ways to share Woon’s story outside of the four walls of a restaurant”.

Despite the considerable risk Keegan made in opening a restaurant, in some ways, he never really changed professions. The restaurant might be a different experience, but he is ultimately excelling because he understands one of the secret ingredients to marketing – authentic storytelling will always rise to the top.