Chef Jung Ji-sun explained why he revisited the kitchen despite his injuries.

On the broadcast of KBS2's "The Boss's Ears are Donkey Ears" on the 23rd, Jung Ji-sun was seen tasting a fine dining course alongside Chef Kim Hee-eun, a Michelin one-star chef with whom he has maintained a friendship for 10 years, through a women's owner chef meeting.

That day, Chef Jung Ji-sun and Chef Kim Hee-eun revealed that they had known each other for 10 years, and Kim Hee-eun noted, "I first saw him when he was the model for a chef's uniform. Everyone was wearing white uniforms, but he wore a red one alone," referring to Jung Ji-sun's striking style at that time.

During their conversation, Chef Jung Ji-sun confessed that he was envious of the chefs he became close with at meetings. He said, "I started cooking because I enjoyed it, but since no one taught me, I went abroad for studies, and even there, it was like heading to a blank wall. It was just mountains and walls. After coming back from studying, I couldn’t find a job. Chinese cuisine is mostly male chefs, and the older generation dominated. I couldn’t get a job because of people who looked down on me."

He stated, "When I first started cooking, I always arrived at work 1-2 hours early. You might wonder if this is the right age, but there were many older chefs. It was common to be hit with a ladle. They would hit you on the head, tap you repeatedly. They would say it was fine. It wasn't a time when the youngest would complain about being hit by seniors. There must be a reason for it, right." He added, "In Chinese cooking, the noodles are wide. I can't even count how many times I was hit with them. It’s incredibly dangerous; as long as they avoid hitting my head, they just tap me. There are many who hit with knives or ladles, so I think I worked while getting hit."

Jung Ji-sun mentioned that the chefs who hit him are still active in the industry and added, "They probably don’t remember me."

What Jung Ji-sun encountered was not the end. He revealed, "I got my hand caught in a machine and had to get 300 stitches. There was a strong perception that it would harm the kitchen, so even while stitching, I didn’t realize it hurt. I only realized I was in pain when I got home. They told me to rest for two months, but I remember going to the kitchen head because I was afraid of being fired, saying I would work."

He expressed, "I was scared of being fired because I started working late." He added, "When I first opened the restaurant, I didn’t publicize it. The seniors would say, "Let’s see how well this girl does." I really hated that they looked down on me just because the owner chef was a woman." Jung Ji-sun, who was watching this in the studio, also shed tears, evoking sympathy.

Seeing this, Jeon Hyun-moo remarked, "The discrimination was truly enormous. This is the first time I've seen Jung Ji-sun cry." Jung Ji-sun replied, "Many people spoke outright. There were many who came to test me. They’d gossip about me behind my back."

[Photo] Broadcast capture

[OSEN=Reporter Kim Chae-yeon]