Alumni

USF Grad Creates Space for Coffee, Culture, and Creativity

by Mara Galeai, Office of Development Communications

Janet Lee ’15, co-founder of Sōhn sitting on the counter of the coffee bar.
Sōhn event group photo
Sōhn signature drink: Yuja Perilla Espresso Tonic
Birds eye view of a table with featuring an array of signature Korean-American dishes at Sōhn.
Janet Lee ’15, co-founder of Sōhn.
Event hosted by Sōhn and Volcano Kimchi.
Sōhn signature drink: Yuja Perilla Espresso Tonic.
Signature Korean-American dishes at Sōhn.

Janet Lee ’15, co-founder of Sōhn, San Francisco's newest Korean-American cafe and gathering space, expands the city’s food scene.

Growing up in San Francisco, the city’s iconic landscape of classic hotels, world-renowned restaurants, and historic private clubs existed at Lee’s fingertips. After enrolling at USF, Lee’s decision to major in hospitality felt natural. As a student, landmarks such as the Fairmont Hotel and the Bohemian Club came alive as classrooms, offering Lee pivotal educational opportunities and professional experiences beyond the Hilltop. 

During Lee’s undergraduate career, USF’s hospitality program required 800 work hours in hotels and restaurants before graduation. Through an internship at a San Francisco-based boba shop, Boba Guys, Lee helped open their second location, where she expanded her understanding of mission-driven businesses and met her present-day business partner. 

Lee said, “I felt very fortunate to go through extensive rounds of professional development while at USF. It truly felt like a safe space to do so, encouraging me to say ‘yes’ to as many opportunities as I could.”

By graduation, Lee was certain she wanted to pursue the restaurant industry. After USF, Lee worked front-of-house at multiple Michelin-star restaurants before transitioning to hospitality consulting, opening a dozen restaurants within two years.

USF taught me about community, to think beyond myself, and what it means to create spaces for all of us."

Sōhn is not only the culmination of Lee’s expertise in guest experience, restaurant operations, and strategy, but also the fulfillment of a vision shaped by her own personal experiences growing up in San Francisco. 

For Lee, her family, and many other Korean-Americans in the Bay Area, community programming in Korean-led spaces was limited. 

Inspired to fill that gap, Sōhn came to life. By day, Sōhn is a cafe offering favorite Korean-American comfort foods and signature drinks. By night, Sōhn transforms into a private event space offering workshops, classes, and speaking events led by Korean creatives. 

Sōhn’s mission is “Many hands, made for all”. With their mission printed on menus, food wrap, and drink cups, Lee honors the collective effort it took to create Sōhn and the commitment it carries forward for the entire Bay Area.

Sōhn recently hosted a panel and tasting event celebrating women in hospitality, featuring four Korean women chefs. For some chefs, this was their first invitation to speak at an event of this kind in San Francisco. 

“By introducing me to friends from all over the world and with the act of giving back to others embedded in the curriculum, USF taught me about community, to think beyond myself, and what it means to create spaces for all of us,” said Lee. 

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