Doc Chey's Asian Kitchen

Wok stations are the centerpieces of this chain’s display cooking lines, which are designed to enhance efficiency, speed and quality control.

Foodservice Equipment & Supplies - December 2004

By Donna Boss
Contributing Editor

When Rich Chey and his partner, Executive Chef Brook Messina, opened their first Asian restaurant in the Virginia-Highland section of Atlanta in 1997, they wanted to recreate a neighborhood noodle shop similar to those Chey had frequented during his childhood in the Northeast and travels throughout Asia as a young adult. The two entrepreneurs had young children of their own and believed that a local eating establishment that offered affordable, flavorful and ample-portioned fare in a funky, fun environment had significant growth potential.

Their judgment was prescient: The success of the first Doc Chey’s Noodle House allowed them to open two additional restaurants in Georgia; one near Emory University and another in downtown Asheville, near the historic Biltmore Estate. In September 2004, Doc Chey’s opened its first franchised restaurant in downtown Athens, one block from the University of Georgia’s campus. The 4,000-square-foot Athens unit that seats 120 is now considered to be the “crown jewel” of the chain with its 25-foot ceilings and almost 1,000-square-feet of window space. Many of its features, including rich red and earthtone colors, wood and other natural materials, bold and patterned fabrics, as well as a cookline equipped with wok stations, a grill, fryers, a pasta cooker, a conventional cooktop and refrigerators, will be incorporated into a new prototype that is currently under development.

The Doc Chey’s Asian Kitchen prototype development initiative is part of an assertive national expansion plan that was announced in September when Doc Chey’s Restaurants added industry veterans Dick Rivera and John Metz Jr. as equity partners. Future growth is expected to come from development of both franchised and company-owned stores (in cities such as Tampa and Orlando, Fla., and Philadelphia). According to Chey, the chain will open 20 new stores during the next two years and eventually grow to 300 units.

Though details haven’t yet been finalized for the prototype, Chey explained that future units based on this design are expected to be 2,500- to 3,000-square-feet with 80 to 100 seats. This is about double the size of the original Doc Chey’s, a 1,350-square-foot facility that offers inside seating for 55 and outdoor seating for 45 on an 800-square-foot patio, but smaller than the Athens restaurant.

According to Chey, who owned Highland Bagel Co. in Atlanta for many years prior to founding Doc Chey’s, the prototype will also feature a bill of fare very similar to the 25-item menu now offered at the Athens restaurant. “Many of the same items we offered on our original menu are still available today, and I see this continuing,” he explained. Featured is a Pan Asian menu that encompasses the cuisines of China, Korea, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam. Selections include dim sum, including fresh basil rolls, Thai shrimp rolls, and spicy Chinese wraps; salads, such as Japanese spinach soba and spicy Thai beef; and soups such as Japanese miso soba and Chinese chicken. The main attractions are Pad Thai, Spicy Thai Basil and Chinese Lo Mein noodle bowls and Mongolian Beef, Szechuan stir-fry and General Chey’s rice plates.

As the chain grows, the current menu will be “tweaked” to accommodate the tastes of future customers. “We’ll be capitalizing on several significant consumer trends, such as the desire for healthier, more balanced diets and the preference for more varied cuisines and bolder flavors,” stated Metz, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and Penn State University and a restaurateur in Atlanta who will provide Doc Chey’s with culinary and operational direction.

“The Asian market is large and growing,” noted Rivera, whose prior affiliations include Darden Restaurants, Longhorn Steaks and T.G.I. Friday’s. “With Doc Chey’s current and future restaurants, we’re trying to redefine the Asian category segment, which means offering value — nothing on the menu is priced over $10 — in addition to speed of service, consistency and bold flavors in a casual neighborhood concept that serves beer and wine.”

Differentiating itself by offering customers a superior value equation has always been a key concern for those who run Doc Chey’s. “We have never wanted to price our menu based on what the market will bear,” confirmed Chey. “Rather, we want to price our selections as low as possible to develop a loyal following. We feel that if people come back, the profit will eventually be there.”

Speed of service also has a particular and brand-defining meaning at Doc Chey’s. The chain’s hybrid service concept was adopted in order to meet the needs of customers at different times of day: fast-casual at lunch and sit-down, table-service at dinner. In addition, take-out sales comprise about 25% to 35% of daily transactions and are expected to continue at that level at future outlets.

In order to provide value, hybrid service, consistency and memorable cuisine, the current equipment package, though small, includes durable pieces that can handle large volume at peak serving periods. In Athens, three Chinese wok stations, which include woks, steamers and rice cookers, were installed side-by-side on a cooking line that is visible to guests. “The woks themselves must be durable enough to endure the intense, direct heating and cooling that takes place over and over,” explained Metz.

Also on Doc Chey’s Athens line is a fryer, a grill set on a refrigerated base, a conventional range, cold tables and a steam table. The grill may be used more frequently in future restaurants as the menu is revised to accommodate customers’ nutritional concerns.

Also in the back kitchen at this unit are a walk-in refrigerator, a small walk-in freezer and dry storage. The back of the house further contains a prep area and dishwashing equipment.

Though the equipment package for Doc Chey’s is small, Rivera asserted that “equipment manufacturers and dealers should pay close attention to the growth of Doc Chey’s and other Asian concepts. There’s a lot of opportunity in this segment.”