David Choi, chef/owner of Korean-Mexican restaurant Seoul Taco, has hired Michelin-starred, James Beard Award–nominated chef Brian Fisher to serve as culinary director. The Chicago-based chef will oversee the kitchens of the fast-casual brand’s seven brick-and-mortar locations across St. Louis, Columbia, and Chicago. Fisher will also spearhead menu and recipe development.

“Neither of us was looking for this, but the situation presented itself, and it made a lot of sense,” says Fisher. “I’m at the point where I want to do more for the other 98 percent of the dining population than the 2 percent.”