Chef Ho Young Jung "Good food makes you smile"

"Food is excitement."

Chef Jeong has been in the kitchen for 28 years, since 1999. Throughout the interview, he talks about people and pleasure instead of fancy recipes and techniques. The excitement of anticipation before eating, and the joy that comes when that anticipation is fulfilled. For him, cooking is not just about satisfying the taste buds, but also about bringing smiles to the faces of his guests.

The owner of udon restaurants <우동카덴>and <이자카야카덴>in Yeonhui-dong, Hapjeong, and Jeju Island, he has a long list of accolades, including a Michelin Guide listing and 13 years of blue ribbons. But it's not the awards or titles that matter to him. His biggest goal is to create a restaurant where anyone can come in, feel comfortable, eat, and leave feeling good.

The eclipse that started out looking cool, the reality is 10years of patience

His mother ran a restaurant for nearly 40 years, so the kitchen was always a familiar place for him. He naturally chose to become a chef, and his reason for choosing Japanese food was surprisingly simple. The idea of chefs interacting with customers in an open kitchen while deftly maneuvering knives looked cool.

But the real world kitchen was cold.

"I realized that to get to a position where it looked that good, I would have had to hang on for at least 10 years."

He had to go to work when others were asleep and endure endless hours of hard work and toil. Behind the title of veteran chef, a title that is beloved by the public today, are years of hard work and perseverance that are often overshadowed by glamor.

Life's turning points 'coldwave', and the black and white chef1for rejecting

The turning point in his culinary life came 10 years ago on the TV show "Fridge, Please". Before the show, he was in the kitchen with his head in his hands.

In fact, he initially declined to appear on the show because he thought he wouldn't be a good enough chef. He changed his mind, however, because he wanted to spread the word about the popular Japanese cuisine that so many people love. He still defines himself as a "conveyor of Japanese food to the public in a friendly way," rather than a leader of Japanese cuisine.

He also spoke candidly about his recent appearance on Black & White Chef 2.

"Actually, I was recruited from season 1, but the pressure and pressure of survival was too much, so I turned it down." After shaking off the pressure, he went on to become a top 4 contestant on 'Black and White Chef 2'.

What Pyongyang Naengmyeon taught me about the depth of flavor

After 28 years of eating a lot of different foods, when I asked him what his most memorable dish was, his answer was unexpected: Pyongyang Naengmyeon.

"The first time I had it, I didn't understand why foodies were raving about it and I was scratching my head, but after a few bites, I realized the depth of flavor, and now it's one of my favorite things to eat."

This experience is in line with his culinary philosophy. According to Chef Chung, the most important criterion for flavor is harmony. He believes that a dish is only complete when all the elements - the visuals, the aroma, the temperature, and the texture - work together smoothly.

A chef's teeth are his most important tool

For a chef who values food texture and mastication, teeth aren't just a body part, they're an important tool that's connected to his professionalism. He enjoys eating as much as he enjoys cooking, but admits that he's always wanted to improve the color of his teeth, but hasn't been able to do so because he's been told he'd have to have them shaved or that he'd suffer from soreness.

Then he found Minish, and after undergoing treatment, he reported high levels of functional satisfaction.

"Being able to chew well, pick well, and eat well is really important, and the best part about Minish is that I can do all of that without worrying about it."

After the mini-meal, people comment on how "much younger and better-looking" she looks, but it's so natural that they don't even notice where the work was done. When she smiles and shows them her teeth, they nod in agreement. He's now an evangelist, recommending Minish to his coworkers.

For food that comes to mind when you're lying in bed.

Chef Chung's advice to aspiring chefs is to be persistent and persevere, and you'll be happy in your career. At the end of the interview, we asked him what kind of chef he would like to be remembered as.

"I don't want to be a big, fancy cook, I want to be someone who makes you smile when you eat my food, those lingering flavors that come back to you when you lay down to sleep at the end of the day."

The belief that good food makes people smile. It's a simple, deeply held belief that 28-year chef Ho-Young Jung hopes to fulfill.