Wok this way

Gulf Coast hospitality executive Kanak Bal wants to shake a little chipotle on the Chinese food industry.

Not the spice, per se, but the simplified gourmet business model of Chipotle Mexican Grill. Denver-based Chipotle, which combines natural ingredients with an uncluttered menu and quirky marketing, has grown rapidly in sales, worldwide locations and fans — in stores and on Wall Street. The firm had $2.73 billion in 2012 sales.

Bal aims to utilize the Chipotle way with Wok Chi, a new eatery concept under Hot Brands International, a Toronto-based firm with eight quick-casual brands in a variety of global markets. “Chinese food really gets a bad reputation for being greasy and not healthy, but we can change that perception,” says Bal. “We don't want to complicate things. We want to give people a healthy meal quickly.”

Bal launched her mission on the Gulf Coast, she says, to chase Middle America customers. The first Wok Chi opened in Regency Square in Brandon in May, and the Hot Brands International USA headquarters is in east Manatee County, in Lakewood Ranch.

Bal, whose parents, Avinash and Sonia Bal, founded Hot Brands International, says she's close to a lease agreement for the second Wok Chi, also in the Tampa area. She hopes to have three local stores by the end of 2014.

Bal, 28, intends to accomplish her mission in a host of ways, from menu, ingredients and food preparation to decor and interior design.

On decor, the Wok Chi concept is bright and airy, with funky signs and messages. A sign at the front entrance that directs customers to the ordering desk, for example, says “Wok this Way.” And a note on the cash register states: “No tips. We get our Chi from your return trip.”

There's also strawberry-flavored pink fortune cookies and free hot green tea for all customers. The tea is a welcome sign in Chinese homes.

Bal, of course, realizes that for long-term success, the food made from the Wok has to match the Chi. On that end, Jeremy Hammond-Chambers, a London and New York-trained chef, teamed up with Hot Brands to develop the Wok Chi menu. Hammond-Chambers built more fresh fruits and vegetables into the menu, especially ones with bright colors, like carrots and oranges.

Says Hammond-Chambers: “We want to inject a little health into the concept.”

Hot Brands, founded in 1992, has grown into an 800-employee business with 70 restaurants, mostly in the Middle East and India. The brands include Japanese, Indian and Italian restaurants. The firm doesn't disclose annual sales figures.

Bal would like to see Wok Chi become the next successful Hot Brand entity. One of the challenges so far, she says, is to train customers, without being condescending, that the experience really is different than the typical Chinese place around the corner. “We want to elevate Chinese food,” says Bal. “But not elevate it to the point where it's unattainable.”