Chef Kim Hee-eun's Journey: From Art Student to Michelin Star Chef

Chef Kim Hee-eun, known for her appearance on 'Black and White Chef 2,' shares her compelling story.

On the YouTube channel 'Gonggyeoksoo Chef,' a video titled 'From Tear-Soaked Kimbap to Michelin 1 Star: The Story of Chef Kim Hee-eun from Black and White Chef 2' was released.

In the video, Chef Kim Hee-eun reveals, "I never thought of becoming a chef; I initially went to art school." She continues, "My grandfather was a painter, and my sister was a sculptor. Perhaps due to this DNA, I always loved creating things with my hands since childhood."

She adds, "Following my father's suggestion, I enrolled in a ceramics department and learned pottery, but I found it less interesting than expected. When I questioned if this was my lifelong career, the answer was no. After some wandering, I attended a senior's graduation exhibition and felt a desire to express myself through those works."

Kim Hee-eun continues, "I thought I could excel in cooking, believing I had that DNA, so I quickly changed my career path. Despite the ups and downs, cooking kept me going. Through the challenges, my self-esteem grew, and looking back, those hardships shaped who I am today."

However, Kim Hee-eun's journey was not without difficulties. Her father strongly opposed her decision, and at one point, she was injured by a shard from an ashtray he threw. She left home with 246,870 won, buying three kimbap rolls to sustain herself for several days.

Reported by Chaeryeong Lim, TenAsia syjj426@tenasia.co.kr