Fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar Korea released a pictorial with chef Son Jong-won. Instead of his familiar chef's uniform, Son Jong-won wore a variety of outfits and displayed both a gentle smile and a charismatic expression in this pictorial.
In a subsequent interview, when asked about his feelings on recently participating in "Culinary Class Wars 2," he said, "When you place yourself in an environment you haven't experienced, there is some kind of learning. It was hard but enjoyable. People I hadn't seen in a long time gathered in one place, and through the process of cooking together, our relationships became much closer. I felt camaraderie."
When asked about his affection for fine dining, he said, "Some people might say fine dining is all the same once it's in your mouth, but the chefs I respect pursued something beyond that. Seeing chefs who never compromise, who spend time and dedicate themselves to achieve their goals, and who go beyond what people might ordinarily do, gives me a sense of the sublime."
When asked about the experience of serving as head chef for two Michelin one-star restaurants, he said, "In fact, it's hard enough to properly run one restaurant, so I was afraid whether I could handle two. But a big reason was the opportunity to give deserving team members another chance. Cooking is not something one can do alone. Seeing team members who work so hard made me want to create an environment where these people can work for a long time, a dining space they can continually belong to," expressing his affection for his team.
Finally, when asked about the attitude he most does not want to lose as a chef, he said, "I don't want to lose the reason why I cook. The first time I felt this job was truly a good job was because you can make someone happy. When you see people's faces immediately brighten and they look happy after eating, it gives you strength and motivation. Rather than becoming a finished product, I want to keep searching and pondering the path."
The pictorial and interview with Son Jong-won can be found in Harper's Bazaar's January 2026 issue and on its official website Instagram.
[Photo] Harper's Bazaar Korea provided
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