By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
In Albury, the scent of sizzling chicken now mingles with the smoke of backyard barbeques as Korea’s golden fried bird meets Australia’s love of cold beer and mateship.
Where a schnitzel and pint once stood as the staple, plates of soy-garlic wings and bubbling hot pots now sit in the centre of the table. Leading the charge is Gami Chicken, the Korean fried chicken brand, that has become a fixture in Australian cities, now planting roots in a regional centre on the NSW border.
Founded in 2006 by four university friends in Melbourne, the ‘other’ KFC built a reputation on crisp chicken, cold beer and the conviviality of shared plates. Over two decades, the brand has grown to 30 locations and a loyal fan base.
The arrival in Albury signals something larger than another franchise opening. It is part of a movement that is reshaping Australia’s regional dining scene, one that blends international flavours with local appetite and community ties.
"The continued rise of K-culture in Australia has created a wonderful platform for us to introduce our offering to mainstream markets and regional areas such as Albury,” says Gami Chicken Executive Director Jun Lee.
He cites the global reach of K-pop and the cultural wave known as Hallyu as key drivers. The brand’s Korean Delights range, fuelled by this surge, has seen a 60 per cent increase in revenue year on year.
Albury, with its busy central precinct and growing food culture, became the next step. The restaurant’s operator, Stuart Fontana, knows the rhythms of the town well. After more than a decade in defence contracting, he returned home to invest in something different.
"I’ve always had entrepreneurial energy and after years away, I wanted to come home and build something meaningful,” Stuart says. "This town deserves a place like this - great food, a social vibe and a space that brings people together.”
Stuart speaks not only of flavour but of community. He has pledged to donate half of all tips to local clubs and associations. Customers can suggest beneficiaries on an in-store board, while partnerships with schools, sports clubs and worker groups are already in planning.
"I want this to be a place where people feel welcome, where staff are mentored and trained well and where we give back,” Stuart says.
Inside, the new Albury restaurant carries the brand’s latest menu innovation - the K-Street menu channels the energy of Korean markets. Dishes arrive with colour and heat: cupbap, a rice bowl that balances value and flavour; Seoul tteokbokki, the chewy rice cakes simmered in sauce; K-Street army stew, hearty and layered; Bulgogi hot pot, fragrant with soy and garlic; and of course, the Gami platter of fried chicken, its crust audibly crisp.
Lee calls it "more flavour, more innovation and more reasons for customers to keep coming back.”
Regional towns have long leaned on pubs and bakeries as anchors of their food scenes. Yet in recent years, venues like Gami Chicken have begun to redefine that picture. They show that tastes shaped in Seoul or Sydney can thrive in towns like Albury, Wagga or Orange. They offer more than novelty. They reflect how migration, pop culture and local enterprise intersect in kitchens far from the capital.
The expansion comes as Gami Chicken looks to achieve 23 per cent year-on-year in-store revenue growth and grow to seven locations by mid-2026. Lee frames the strategy around connection.
"Casual dining is where Australians connect,” he says. "We’re creating spaces that feel social, inclusive and exciting - whether you’re here for a quick bite or a full feast.”
For Albury diners, the effect is immediate. Plates of fried chicken arrive with their lacquered skin still steaming. Sauces - sticky, spicy, sweet - cling to each bite. Cupbap bowls travel swiftly from kitchen to table, carried by staff who move with efficiency and warmth. At peak hours the room buzzes, glasses clink and conversations rise and fall in waves.
Regional Australia is no stranger to change. Wineries, cafes and craft breweries have redrawn dining maps across the country. Gami’s arrival shows how Korean flavours, once confined to city suburbs, are now woven into the daily fabric of a border town.
The move speaks to ambition but also to appetite. As Stuart put it: "This community has a strong appetite for quality food and social dining and we’re excited to be part of its evolving culinary scene.”
