When Chef Jerry Lin was looking for a new brand to develop after experiencing a setback, he found inspiration in the cuisine that helped launch his culinary career.
After immigrating to the United States from China in 2000, Lin found employment at a Japanese Hibachi restaurant, where he would work for the next decade. That experience is what influenced his decision to launch the brand T-Swirl Crepe in 2014 in New York City.
The crepes made at T-Swirl are Japanese style, which are distinguished from their French counterpart by having a crunchy exterior. Today the brand has 33 locations in 14 states and Canada, 22 of which are franchised.
The last decade-plus of success with T-Swirl came after Lin’s first business concept, which went south.
Chef Jerry Lin, founder of T-Swirl Crepe
“After working at the Hibachi restaurant, I wanted to do my own business, which was a frozen yogurt concept,” Lin said. “I ended up failing with that business and went back to the drawing board to find a different idea, one that would set me apart from other businesses while still resonating with an American eater.”
When considering what to do next, Lin said he knew he loved Japanese food after working with it for so long, and that some of the cuisine, such as sushi and ramen, were already popular in the U.S. With that in mind, Lin decided to add another Japanese food to the line-up with his soft-on-the-inside, crunchy-on-the-outside crepes.
The crepes are made with a gluten-free rice batter and served in a cone shape so they can be eaten on the go. The menu at T-Swirl Crepe, which offers both sweet and savory items, became popular fast, and Lin saw it as a reason to franchise the business.
“New York is a tourist city, and they stop by our restaurant and love it,” Lin said. “They always say ‘you should open this in my state.’ So, we saw it as our mission to have our crepes nearby all of our customers and the franchise system felt like the best way to leverage our local entrepreneurship and minimize the financial risk while rapidly scaling the business. It allows others to invest and operate their locations, while we can tap new markets.”
Unlike French crepes, the items at T-Swirl are soft-on-the-inside, crunchy-on-the-outside. Pictured is one of T-Swirl’s savory crepes with tuna.
Since establishing its franchise system, Lin said the brand has partnered with 20 owners, one having multiple locations, and the brand wants more.
“We’re looking for the passionate food lover who also cares about customer service,” Lin said. “I care about the customer experience in our stores. It’s not a written requirement, but it’s valuable when you have franchisees who have some experience in management and business.”
That dedication to customer service extends to how the food is prepared, with T-Swirl giving guest a front-row seat to how the crepes are made.
“Being able to appreciate transparency is important,” Lin said. “It’s one of the reasons that the T-Swirl concept features an open kitchen. We based it on open Japanese kitchens, and that way, our staff members can connect with the customers and the guests can connect with the order, seeing it made live in front of them.”
T-Swirl Crepe continues to have a strong presence in New York with 13 units in the Empire State. The franchise has now spread to California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.