Ann Kim and husband/business partner Conrad Leifur are responsible for a group of the Twin Cities’ most original restaurants, starting with Pizzeria Lola in south Minneapolis and more recently the innovative and much-lauded Young Joni in Northeast, which remains a long wait almost every night of the week. Soon they will open Sooki & Mimi, a Mexican-focused eatery in the old Lucia’s space in Uptown. Kim, winner of 2019’s James Beard Best Chef Midwest award, was recently the subject of a lengthy New York Times profile about her distinctive backstory and Korean-influenced culinary vision, which will likely continue to set the pace for innovation in the Twin Cities.