Chef Choi Kang-rok Opens Up About Future Plans and Current Projects

Chef Choi Kang-rok has revealed that he is not currently operating any restaurant.

On the 24th, the YouTube channel 'Calm Man' posted a video titled 'An Intensely Breathless Interview with Choi Kang-rok.'

Choi Kang-rok, the winner of the Netflix series 'Black and White Chef 2,' candidly shared his current situation on the Calm Man YouTube channel. Calm Man asked, "Are you spending time with your daughter?" Choi replied, "It's vacation time, and since I don't have a restaurant, I spend a lot of time with her." When Calm Man mentioned, "If you open a restaurant, you won't be able to spend as much time together," Choi agreed.

Regarding plans for a new restaurant, Choi stated, 'I am not currently running any establishment.' He mentioned, "I once said that when I get older and lose strength, I would like to open a noodle shop. But for now, I still have energy." He added, "I want to do something where I can follow a well-established routine, and that item is noodles."

Calm Man asked, "So you don't plan to open one anytime soon?" Choi responded, "I don't have the capacity right now. I also need to find a friend who shares my vision."

Choi identified 'people' as the biggest challenge in running a restaurant. He explained, "The friends I used to work with have all grown and moved on to pursue their own dreams. They have become leaders of their own establishments." He continued, "The process of hiring and losing staff is the hardest part." When Calm Man suggested, "Wouldn't it be nice to have someone who can stay as a regular?" Choi humorously replied, "I need a robot." However, he acknowledged, "I've looked into robots a lot. There isn't one that can replace a person. Ultimately, I need to find people."

For the time being, Choi plans to focus on food-related projects and collaborations instead of running an independent restaurant. He stated, "My resolve is to not put down the knife. I will continue working in the food industry. When the right opportunity arises, I will pursue it. Although there won't be a restaurant for now, I am still actively working."

Reporter Kim Ji-won, TenAsia bella@tenasia.co.kr