Peter Ho has spent most of his career as a fine dining chef, from acclaimed New York and Chicago restaurants to Michelin-starred kitchens. Most recently, he was executive chef at Oak at Fourteenth, the acclaimed Boulder restaurant by Bryan Dayton.
Now, Ho is ready to build his own brand. But in a more casual setting. In October he opened Sorry Umma, which sells Korean-style hot pots in a Westminster shopping center.
“I’ve always wanted to create an experience with Korean food. The hot pot seemed like a good place for me to start, as it allowed me to save a little on labor costs while showcasing higher quality ingredients,” he says. “I think Westminster has a lot of potential. There aren’t too many Korean restaurants in the area, plus we’re right next to H Mart, which is a big symbol of Korean food.”
That location carries a high profile, but Ho said he’s ready to impress.
The all-you-can-eat dinner menu, priced at $34.99, includes prime cuts of meat, such as ribeye, beef tongue, tri-tip, lamb and brisket. In addition, customers can browse the refrigerated bar for additional ingredients such as Napa cabbage, oyster and shitake mushrooms, daikon, bok choy, tofu, noodles, gyoza, calamari, fish, kimchi, sauces and oils.
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“We source from the same supplier as Oak. I try to focus on a variety of cuts, such as USDA Prime and a few select options. In the future, I want to add more varieties, such as wagyu or bison, which would be at a premium,” he explains.
Each diner has a personal stove to cook their hot pot in a broth of their choice; they include flavors such as Tteokbokki (made from gochujang), miso, mushroom dashi, mala (spicy) and bulgogi. The broths are meticulously made to complement the meat, which Ho encourages eating “shabu shabu” style, referring to the Japanese hot pot style in which thin slices of meat are cooked in boiling water for only a few seconds at a time.
“When you’re dipping the beef, the flavors of the broth get better and better,” Ho explains.
Considering the restaurant’s name, Ho encourages customers to get creative with flavor combinations, “Umma means ‘mom’ in Korean. So while mom’s traditional cooking may be authentic, Sorry Umma is all about personalizing the food, there are no strict rules. Sorry Umma” is a bit like saying, “Sorry, Mom, I’m doing it my way, and maybe even better!”.
Ho hopes that eventually the Sorry Umma brand will include other concepts, such as Korean barbecue. But for now, he’s taking his time to take care of every last detail of his hot pot venture, from ingredients to interactions. And she recently received a big boost a post by TikTok user @souljaboyupinnaoh (and her mother) singing the restaurant’s praises went viral.
Originally from South Korea, Ho moved to the United States with his family during high school. After graduating, he enlisted in the Army and fell in love with cooking during his time in Germany. Upon his return to the United States, Ho attended Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in California and went on to work in renowned kitchens such as Gordon Ramsey Restaurant, Aldea in New York and Aureole. He moved to Colorado in 2020 and made his mark in the kitchens of Rijola and Oak at Fourteenth.
Now he is excited to share his love of Korean cuisine with the community. “Talking to every customer and getting positive feedback is very important to me,” he says.
The winter months are the perfect time to do this, he adds. “There’s something really satisfying about eating hot soup when it’s cold.”
Sorry Umma, 5028 W. 92nd Ave, Westminster. Monday-Friday, 11:30am-3pm and 5-9pm; Saturday and Sunday, 11:30am-9pm.
