Episode 80: Hooni Kim

Korean food is incredible – full of fermented goodness and culinary tradition, but it’s often overlooked. Find out how Hooni Kim is changing people’s perceptions of Korean Food and elevating the cuisine on a brand new episode of Chef’s Story. Chef Kim is the chef/owner of Hanjan and Danji, two restaurants that re-imagine Korean food in imaginative and inventive ways. Host Dorothy Cann Hamilton chats with chef Kim about his background in medicine, his transition to the kitchen and his passion for the food of Korea. Find out why you should trust your taste buds – not your nose – when it comes to Korean food and hear why Hooni’s ultimate dream is just to make people happy. Today’s show was brought to you by Whole Foods Market.

“Being a foodie was a hobby. Asian kids didn’t grow up to be chefs. If you weren’t smart – you ended up in the kitchen. I never thought about cooking as a profession.” [17:00]

“It’s good to have rules, but ultimately I think a chef’s job isn’t about the food – it’s about people coming in to the restaurant to have a good time. It’s our job to facilitate that and it’s not always about the food.” [29:00]

“My friends should be able to come into the restaurant and before even tasting the food and say ‘This reminds me of Hooni’ ” [39:00]

“Cheese tastes amazing – but if you just smell it, you’ll never taste it. That’s the same with Korean fermented food.” [48:00]

–Hooni Kim on Chef’s Story