Jinah Kim says the idea of Sunhee’s Farm and Kitchen came out of practicality.

“My family was living on a farm at that point and we had a ton of Korean produce coming out, and we were like, ‘what are we going to do with all of this?’ ” says Kim.

But the idea for the restaurant is also deeply personal. The name itself comes from the two chefs’ Korean names, Sun Hwa and Chun Hee.

Kim, whose mother is Chun Hee Kim, wanted to introduce the culture to the rest of the community.

"I grew up with this stuff, but people will make it a part of their lives, and we’re really grateful for that,” says Kim.

The space in Troy includes a market and store, which had to be downsized because of COVID-19. While Kim says the first several weeks of the pandemic were the most stressful of her life, the restaurant’s mission hasn’t changed.

Something that could have easily been overlooked in the chaos of the pandemic: Kim has also maintained offering local immigrants free English classes. Once in person, the courses have moved online.

Kim says it was never an option to cancel them.

“Even that hour and a half that people come together on a twice-a-week basis, there’s such a sense of community, a sense of connecting with people,” says Kim.

Classes are taught on a variety of levels. Many of the students are also Sunhee’s employees. The idea is to help immigrants succeed, so they can also share their stories with others.

“Everyone is so encouraging,” says Kim, “I think COVID has brought out the best and worst in all of us, and I really see the best of it in these classes.”

In recent days, Sunhee’s has been vocal about the violence targeting the Asian community. In a March 17 Facebook post, the restaurant wrote in part, “We are more than just our food and culture - we are our stories, our struggles, our fears, our successes and our failures. We invite you to stand with us.”

More information about Sunhee’s, and the work it does for immigrants, can be found on the restaurant’s website.