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Judy Joo

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Judy Joo
Born
Summit, New Jersey
Education
Culinary career
Current restaurant(s)
    • Seoul Bird (2020–present)
Previous restaurant(s)
  • Jinjuu (2015–2019)
Television show(s)
Award(s) won
    • Official "Hansik" Food Ambassador, the Korean Food Foundation
    • Best Korean Restaurant (Jinjuu Hong Kong), Tatler Magazine
Websitejudyjoo.com

Judy Joo is an American chef, author, restaurateur, and television personality.[1] She is best known as the host of Food Network's Korean Food Made Simple, and an Iron Chef UK and her restaurant Seoul Bird in London, Las Vegas, and New York.

Early life and education

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Judy Joo was born in Summit, New Jersey, to first-generation Korean immigrants.[1] Her father, Eui Don Joo, was born in Chŏngju,[2] which became part of North Korea after the division of the Korean Peninsula. As a child, he fled south with his parents and eight siblings amid the establishment of a communist regime in the North.[3][4] He later graduated from medical school in Seoul and immigrated to the United States in 1967, where he worked as a psychiatrist.[4] Her mother, Young Nim Park, from Icheon, South Korea,[2] moved to the U.S. in 1968 on a scholarship for a master’s degree in chemistry at Ohio State University.[4] The couple met in Grand Rapids, Michigan before settling in New Jersey, where Park later became a real estate broker.[4]

Joo has described her childhood as a "typical tiger mom upbringing".[5][4] Raised in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, she attended the private all-girls Kent Place School alongside her older sister, where they were the only Asian students.[4]

She graduated from Columbia University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science in 1997 with a degree in industrial engineering and operations research.[4][6] Joo now serves on the school's Board of Visitors[7] and was the commencement speaker for the Class of 2018.[8]

Career

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She began a career in the banking industry with an internship at Goldman Sachs,[9] followed by a role at Morgan Stanley as an institutional fixed income derivatives saleswoman.[10][1][11][12]

In 2004, Joo began her culinary career after completing a six-month pastry arts program at the French Culinary Institute in New York.[13] She later worked as an editorial assistant in the test kitchen at Saveur magazine.[13][14] As part of the Slow Food USA movement, Joo established a monthly workshop teaching nutrition, ingredients, and cooking at the Children's Storefront elementary school in Harlem, where she was a volunteer tutor.[15][16]

A move to London led Joo to restaurants, where she experienced work[17] at Gordon Ramsay's restaurants, including Maze, Pétrus, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's and the Boxwood Café. She has also completed "stages" at The French Laundry, Nahm (Bangkok), and The Fat Duck.[18]

Joo at the opening of the Playboy Club London, in 2011

In 2011, at age 36, Joo was hired as executive chef at the newly reopened Playboy Club in London’s Mayfair.[1] She was approached for the role by Caesars Entertainment after being spotted on a television cooking show.[6] Joo said her menu was designed to reflect Playboy’s American origins, featuring steak and burgers, which she described as "big boy food."[19][20] Korean-influenced starters were also offered, including japchae and kimchi tacos with bulgogi.[19][20] During her time at the club, she cooked for high-profile guests, including Justin Bieber and Kate Moss.[3]

After enjoying her food at the Playboy Club, businessman Kia Joorabchian approached Joo in 2014 with an offer to open her own restaurant in Soho, London.[21][6][22] The project was funded by Joorabchian and Ali Jassim, an adviser to Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates.[3]

Jinjuu opened on Kingly Street in early 2015 to a mixed reception.[6] A.A. Gill of The Times said it "teeters on the edge of being a nice restaurant," describing the Korean fried chicken as having "a thick, brown duvet crust that was like pebbledash breakfast cereal, apparently more for insulation than flavour."[23] However, Richard Vines of Bloomberg praised the dish, as well as the "excellent" bibimbap, "authentic" japchae, and "well-judged" mandu.[24] Jay Rayner of The Observer concluded that the restaurant was "mediocre" and the food "serviceable, if expensive."[17] All three reviews complained of overattentive service and loud music that was "too noisy for dining".[23][24][17]

Chicken and tacos as served at Jinjuu

In a review for the Evening Standard, Fay Maschler echoed Gill’s assessment of the chicken, describing it as having a "plaster-cast coating," and also criticized "rampant" upselling and "miserly" portions.[25] She also noted that Jinjuu's japchae was missing citrus and fish sauce,[25] ingredients common in Southeast Asian dishes like pad Thai but not typical of japchae. Following a complaint from Joo, the review was removed from the newspaper's website.[17] In a later interview, Joo said that British critics had conflated her Korean cooking with Thai cuisine, describing this as "an ignorance of the cultural differences within Asia."[26]

Jinjuu was recommended with "Plate" status in the 2018 Michelin Guide,[27] and was awarded for its design at the Restaurant and Bar Design Awards.[28]

Later in 2015, businessman Bruce Rockowitz invested in the opening of a Jinjuu restaurant in Hong Kong, following a recommendation from his daughter, who had dined at the London location.[29][30][22] The 120-seat restaurant in Lan Kwai Fong was also backed by singer Coco Lee (Rockowitz’s wife) and Hong Kong business magnate Allan Zeman.[30] Joo lived in Hong Kong for three months prior to the opening.[29]

Joo opened a third site in 2016 on Albemarle Street in Mayfair, again in partnership with Joorabchian.[31] Following the closure of the Hong Kong and Mayfair restaurants, Joo left the business in 2019.[14][32] The original Soho restaurant closed in 2023.[33]

A branch of Seoul Bird

In 2020, Joo opened a fast casual concept, Seoul Bird, in the Westfield shopping mall, Shepherd's Bush, London. A second location was opened in 2021 in Canary Wharf and then Seoul Bird opened in the Aria Resort and Casino, Las Vegas in 2022.[34] Seoul Bird opened in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York in 2023.

In 2021, Joo taught Mark Flanagan, royal chef to Queen Elizabeth II, how to make kimchi at an event organized by the Embassy of South Korea in London.[35] In 2023, Joo served British-Korean fusion canapés at 10 Downing Street during a state visit by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, hosted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.[36]

Television

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Following a chance encounter with a TV producer at a party in 2008, Joo began to appear on television as a regular guest on cookery show Market Kitchen.[13][37] She was later cast for the 2010 launch of Iron Chef UK on Channel 4, alongside Sanjay Dwivedi and Michelin-starred chefs Martin Blunos and Tom Aikens.[38] The game show saw four contestants, each cooking one course, competing against an expert "iron chef" who must prepare four courses in the same amount of time.[38] Despite the franchise's success in the US and Japan, the British version failed to attract an audience and was pulled from the schedules mid-season.[39]

However, the exposure led to further opportunities. Since 2011, Joo has served as a judge on Food Network competition shows in the United States, including The Next Iron Chef, Iron Chef America, Iron Chef Gauntlet, Kitchen Inferno, Beat Bobby Flay, Guy's Grocery Games, Bobby's Triple Threat and House of Knives.[40][41][42][43] She also competed as a contestant on Iron Chef America against Alex Guarnaschelli.[44]

In 2012, Joo hosted the documentary Judy Joo's Homecoming: Invitation to South Jeolla Cuisine (Korean: 주디 주의 귀향 - 남도음식으로의 초대) for Korean channel MBC, where she learned from masters of kimchi, octopus fishing and soy sauce.[45] Following this, she hosted two seasons of Korean Food Made Simple, which was broadcast in the United States on the Cooking Channel, on MBC in South Korea and in 13 further countries on Food Network. Joo said she had been pitching the show for over four years before it was eventually funded by the Korea Food Foundation, a government agency.[22][46]

In 2021 and 2022, Joo appeared on the ITV cooking competition Cooking with the Stars, serving as a mentor to musician Naughty Boy and comedian Joe Wilkinson.[47][48] She has also appeared on shows including Today, Good Morning America, Sunday Brunch, Saturday Kitchen, The Wendy Williams Show and James Martin's Saturday Morning.

Bibliography

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In addition to her cookbooks, Joo has also written for magazines and periodicals including the Financial Times, the Guardian, Forbes Travel Guide and National Geographic.

  • Korean Food Made Simple, 2016 (ISBN 9781910254721)
  • Judy Joo's Korean Soul Food, 2019 (ISBN 9780711251670)
  • K-Quick: Korean Food in 30 Minutes or Less, 2025 (ISBN 9780711297586)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Vines, Richard (February 7, 2011). "Morgan Stanley Woman Turned Chef Lands Job at U.K. Playboy Club". Bloomberg News.
  2. ^ a b Judy, Joo (2025). K-Quick: Korean Food in 30 Minutes or Less. ISBN 978-0711297586.
  3. ^ a b c Vines, Richard (2014-09-23). "Former Trader Quits Playboy Club to Open Own Restaurant". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on 2017-02-28. Retrieved 2025-07-20.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Levin, Eric (2016-07-14). "A Cuisine in Ferment". New Jersey Monthly. Retrieved 2025-07-20.
  5. ^ "Readable feasts: Korean Food Made Simple". SBS Food. 2016-06-07. Retrieved 2025-07-20. Judy's 'typical tiger mom upbringing' had its desired effect, fast-tracking her into a career on Wall Street selling fixed income derivatives.
  6. ^ a b c d "Judy Joo on putting her heart and Seoul into her Korean fried chicken brand". The Caterer. 2021-07-21. Retrieved 2025-07-20.
  7. ^ "Board of Visitors". Columbia Engineering. 2020-02-18. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  8. ^ Judy Joo Columbia Univ 2018 SEAS Commencement Speaker Clip, 23 May 2018, retrieved 2023-06-13
  9. ^ Vines, Richard (2010-03-19). "Morgan Stanley Woman Becomes 'Iron Chef' After Meeting Ramsay". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on 2016-07-24. Retrieved 2025-07-20.
  10. ^ "Former Goldman And Morgan Stanley Banker Explains The Lure Of Playboy Bunnies". Business Insider. 2011-02-08. Retrieved 2025-07-20.
  11. ^ Huang, Taylor (2021-06-15). "The Untold Truth Of Judy Joo". Mashed.com. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
  12. ^ Kierzek, Kristine M. "Chef Chat: Korean cuisine inspires Iron Chef Judy Joo's career". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
  13. ^ a b c Chan, Bernice (2017-12-07). "Iron Chef Judy Joo on quitting a high-flying career in finance to pursue her passion for cooking". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  14. ^ a b Sittamparam, Rasika (2021-11-24). "Chef Judy Joo on her journey from Wall Street to one of London's top chefs". Spear's. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  15. ^ Menin, Sophie (2005-01-05). "Kids in Harlem Savor Food That Isn't Fast". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  16. ^ Smith, Stephen (2005-10-29). "Slow Food Catches On Fast". CBS News. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  17. ^ a b c d Rayner, Jay (2015-04-26). "Jinjuu: restaurant review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-07-20.
  18. ^ "Judge: Judy Joo is a judge on season four of The Next Iron Chef". Food Network.[dead link]
  19. ^ a b "From Wall Street to 'Iron Chef,' Judy Joo finds passion in food". Korea JoongAng Daily. 2011-11-09. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  20. ^ a b Vines, Richard (2011-08-07). "Playboy Club Has Spicy Food, Morgan Stanley Woman Turned Chef". Bloomberg News.
  21. ^ "Serving up Korean food with a sexy twist". The Korea Herald. 2014-10-24. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  22. ^ a b c Yun, Suh-young (2017-10-09). "'Korean food needs global recognition'". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  23. ^ a b Gill, A. A. (2015-02-15). "Table Talk: AA Gill reviews Jinjuu, London". The Times. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  24. ^ a b Vines, Richard (2015-02-04). "Former Playboy Chef Wins With Big Korean Flavors at JinJuu: Review". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  25. ^ a b Maschler, Fay (2015-01-21). "Seoul food comes to Soho". Evening Standard.
  26. ^ Claeson, Hanna (2022-05-06). "Judy Joo Talks Iron Chef, Food Critics, And Mother's Day - Exclusive Interview". Mashed. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  27. ^ Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2018. Michelin. 2017. p. 156. ISBN 978-2067220898.
  28. ^ Witts, Sophie (2015-10-04). "Restaurant and Bar Design Awards 2015: Winners announced". Restaurant. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  29. ^ a b "Favourite Hong Kong restaurants of celebrity chef Judy Joo, founder of Jinjuu". South China Morning Post. 2016-08-04. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  30. ^ a b "如果你正好在这些地方旅行，那就千万不要错过以下餐厅_生活方式_澎湃新闻-The Paper". www.thepaper.cn. Archived from the original on 2017-10-27. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  31. ^ "Judy Joo secures second London site for Jinjuu". The Caterer. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  32. ^ "Judy Joo announces departure from her Korean restaurant Jinjuu". restaurantonline.co.uk. 2019-08-02. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  33. ^ "Keeping track of the restaurants that have closed in London". Hot Dinners. 2025-05-12. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  34. ^ "Westfield London". Seoul Bird. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  35. ^ 류, 영상 (2021-11-16). "영국 왕실서도 김치를? 수석 셰프, 김치 담그며 "버킹엄궁 메뉴에 올리고 싶어"". Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  36. ^ Tyler, Richard (2023-12-22). "The chef that does it all, from canapés at No 10 to a fried chicken chain". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 2025-07-20.
  37. ^ "The Playboy Club returns with executive chef Judy Joo". Restaurant. 2011-02-08. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  38. ^ a b "The hard men - and women - of cooking". The Independent. 2010-04-20. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  39. ^ Parker, Robin (2010-05-24). "C4 eyes new slot for Iron Chef UK". Broadcast. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  40. ^ "Judy Joo". IMDb. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  41. ^ "Iron Chef Gauntlet" Innovation (TV Episode 2018) - Plot - IMDb. Retrieved 2025-07-22 – via www.imdb.com.
  42. ^ Avery, Riley (2024-09-03). "Bobby's Triple Threat: Titans vs Katsuji Tanabe (Food Network, Tuesday, September 3, 2024)". MEMORABLE TV. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  43. ^ Aslanian, Emily (2025-03-17). "'House of Knives' Judge Explains Food Network's New 'Game of Thrones'-Style Competition". TV Insider. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  44. ^ "'Next Iron Chef' finale recap: A coat well earned". Los Angeles Times. 2012-12-24. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  45. ^ "목포MBC 특집 다큐 '주디 주의 귀향' 30일 방송" [Mokpo MBC's special documentary 'Judy's Joo's Homecoming' will air on the 30th]. Newsis (in Korean). 2016-12-28. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  46. ^ Oh, Jean (2014-01-17). "TV show makes Korean cuisine simple". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  47. ^ Dowell, Ben (2021-07-13). "Cooking with the Stars review — undercooked chefs make for a winning recipe". The Times. Retrieved 2025-07-20.
  48. ^ "What's on TV and radio tonight: Tuesday, June 7". The Times. 2022-06-06. Retrieved 2025-07-20.
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