The Heart and Soul of The Three Pigs

Korean food truck gets a glow-up as a new Warehouse District restaurant

By Ross Boissoneau | May 23, 2026

It might be going too far to say that Korean BBQ is the love of Chad Perrault’s life. But when his love of the food led him to find and marry Li GongYiChen and then start a restaurant together—then maybe not.

What’s safe to say is that a conversation with Perrault makes it clear that he loves his life, and being able to combine those elements at The Three Pigs, the new Korean eatery in the Warehouse District in Traverse City, makes him very happy.

Around the World

“I lived in Korea for 10 years, worked there, traveled a lot,” Perrault says. Then he returned stateside, opened a restaurant in Traverse City … but that’s getting ahead of the story.

It was a journey for Perrault, both geographically and in terms of his life and career arc. A native of Harbor Springs, Perrault joined the armed services out of high school. He was stationed in California, where he first encountered the bold flavors of Korean BBQ. Combining garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil, the sweet and smoky flavorings were an immediate hit with his taste buds. So much so that after leaving the service, he headed to South Korea to indulge even more.

Then, a tale as old as time: Boy meets girl, falls in love, learns the Korean language and culture … and the world goes on lockdown. So not the typical story, but one in which he traveled around southeast Asia and indulged his burgeoning interest in its culinary traditions, always finding his way back to his Korean BBQ favorites.

“COVID was the starting point,” Perrault says. Stuck inside at home, he read cookbooks and cooked what he liked. As things slowly returned to normal, he was able to meet chefs and learn from them. “They’ll take anybody who wants to work for free,” he says with a laugh.

He took classes, learned about Korean street food, and found a calling. Eventually the world completely opened up again, and so did Perrault’s life, with a new love, Li GongYiChen, whom he married. She remains in Seoul at this writing as they work to be together on a fulltime basis.

Meantime he sought out ways to spread the word about Korean BBQ. He returned to his home state, and decided Traverse City was fertile ground. He started cooking and serving Korean BBQ from his food truck, Heart N Seoul at Earthen Ales. While it was a success, he wanted to go bigger and better. Hence The Three Pigs.

On the Menu

After being open only a few weeks, Perrault says the restaurant says the response has been positive, with some guests already becoming regulars. “It was almost too much in the beginning,” he says. “We’re still trying to figure out details.”

As is to be expected, Korean BBQ pork is the star of the show. Moksal Pork Shoulder and Hangjeongsal Pork Jowl kick things off, along with a local favorite: Polish Heritage Farm’s pork belly from the farm’s Hungarian Mangalitsa pigs, known for their wooly coats, rich marbling, and high-quality fat.

While the menu is heavy on pork, it is surprisingly diverse. It includes stews, such as kimchi jjigae, a spicy stew made with aged kimchi, pork belly, tofu, and yellow onions. Corn Cheese is sweet corn mixed with butter, mozzarella, and a touch of mayo, served sizzling in a hot skillet. Seafood Pajeon is a scallion pancake packed with squid and shrimp.

In deference to those opting for a plant-based diet, or those who simply want a veggie-based complement to the cuts of meat, Perrault offers a selection of “Plant-Based Grill” items. They include Tempeh & Sweet Potato, Assorted Mushroom, featuring a trio of lion’s mane, portobello caps, and oyster mushrooms, and Squash & Eggplant, sweet kabocha squash and smoky eggplant slices brushed with soy and sesame and caramelized on the grill.

Yes, there’s dessert too. Red Bean Porridge is gently sweetened red azuki beans, garnished with nuts and fruit. Hotteok is a hot, crispy pancake with a soft, chewy center, filled with warm brown sugar, walnuts, sesame seeds and cinnamon, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Patbingsu consists of finely shaved ice topped with sweet red beans, soybean powder, and chewy rice cake.

Perrault says while many items on the menu have received a thumbs-up from customers, the biggest winner so far is Korean BBQ choice D: all the above. “Our most popular menu item is the Three Pigs Platter, which consists of all the meat together. It’s a chance for people to try every cut, from fatty to lean,” Perrault says.

“The next is our corn cheese. It’s such a comfort food, and comes out bubbling and gooey and fun to pull the cheese away from.”

His own favorite leans to the dish for which he named the restaurant. “My favorite is the pork belly,” he says, referring to the Samgyeopsal Pork Belly. He says it represents the essence of his restaurant. “The name of ‘Three Pigs’ is meant for this cut of meat. It’s perfectly layered … fat and meat. It’s thick and juicy, and pairs well with any lettuce wrap you make.”

But Wait, There’s More

Meantime, what of Heart N Seoul? Perrault says he is open to leasing out the truck, but he has no interest at this time in reviving the food truck. He doesn’t have the time as he works to lay a foundation for success at The Three Pigs.

“I’m in every zone. I’m all over the place,” he says, from the front of the house to working on the line, then back again. He is still busy hiring and training staff. 

While there is still a bar in place from the former tenant, Mammoth Distilling, he’s not serving food at the bar. For the first weeks he hasn’t even had a fulltime bartender, though the restaurant does offer draft beer and Cass beer, South Korea’s most popular beer. It also features soju, a clear Korean spirit known for its smooth, clean taste and light sweetness, and makgeolli, traditional Korean rice wine, which is slightly sweet, tangy, and naturally cloudy.

In addition to concentrating on the foods and flavors of Korea, Perrault is embracing a schedule popular there as well. “The hours are traditional of a Korean bar, 4pm to midnight.”

He believes offering a late-night option will prove to be a hit. “People don’t know about it yet,” he says.

While that may be true of its hours, it seems the cozy restaurant—it only boasts 10 tables—is already surprisingly busy during traditional American dining hours. “The reaction has been incredible,” Perrault says. “Friday and Saturday, we’ve had a two-hour wait.”

And don’t miss out on The Three Pigs’ private karaoke room, which is bookable for up to four hours ($60) for your group of songbirds.

Find The Three Pigs at 221 Garland St D. in Traverse City. Follow online and book karaoke at instagram.com/threepigstc.