How army life gave Korean chef behind Jungsik brand his passion for food
Yim Jung-sik, of Michelin-starred restaurants Jungsik Seoul and Jungsik New York, reveals how he found his calling in the unlikeliest of places
How did you become a chef? “In 1998, I enlisted in the Korean army, where I stayed for 26 months. The cooks at the military base I served at were on holiday for two weeks and I was asked to take over the catering. That was my first time grabbing a knife and cooking, and it was so much fun it didn’t seem like work.
“Soon after I had completed my military service, the officer asked me to take over the job, because he thought I was better than the other cooks. I stayed there for 10 months, and I realised that cooking was something I was good at. I was 21 at the time and, before that, I never had a dream or any idea of what I wanted to do as a career.”
Describe your own cuisine and style. “A re-creation of traditional Korean food – the ‘new Korean cuisine’. I would describe my style as ‘refined’.”
What inspires you? “Daily life and my surroundings. Whenever I am developing a menu, I focus on the ingredients, do research about them, study what other chefs make, and I delve into the idea. I am inspired when I focus on the different elements of a particular dish and how they come together.
“If I had to name one particular influence, it would be one-Michelin-star restaurant Zuberoa, in the Basque Country, Spain. They make traditional Basque-style cuisine. I was so inspired there that I was able to create the concept of the ‘new Korean cuisine’ within 10 minutes.”