counter intelligence
Ann Kim is changing careers. Just don't tell her mom. Well, not yet.
"My mother has disapproved of everything I've ever done," Kim said with a laugh. "When I became an actor, she found out by reading about it in the paper."
After appearing in productions at Children's Theatre Co., Mixed Blood Theatre, the Guthrie Theater and other local stages, and a stint as director of education for Hennepin Theatre Trust, Kim is becoming a restaurateur. "I've always loved cooking," she said. "My mom is an amazing cook. I thought about a small Korean eatery, but then I'd have to get my mom involved."
Instead, she's going the pizza route with Pizzeria Lola (5557 Xerxes Av. S., Mpls.), named for her pizza-eating Weimaraner. After much research, Kim and business partner Conrad Leifur, a former hedge fund manager, have developed a hybrid of the thin-and-crispy old-style crusts they love from what Kim calls "their formative pizza-loving years" in New York City and New Haven, Conn., with the airier artisanal style that's become popular in recent years. "The foundation of any pizza is the crust," she said.
Along with 12-inch, single-serving pizzas ($8 to $15), the kitchen's wood-burning oven will also prepare basic appetizers, and desserts will include a house-made soft-serve ice cream. Beer and wine too.
Oh, and this time around, Kim plans on breaking the news to Mom herself. "The idea is to tell her soon, before this story comes out," she said. A post-Thanksving opening is planned.
RICK NELSON
