South Korean-born Eom Jae Hoon has always been captivated by food. Fascinated by the beauty and creativity of food, he became determined to work as a chef, going from kitchen to kitchen until someone hired him.
He soon realised there was much to learn from working in as many different kitchens as possible, and ten fine-dining restaurant jobs later, Hoon relocated to New Zealand to continue his food journey. He chose Wellington, thinking that with fewer Koreans in the capital than Auckland, he’d learn more English – a good decision, as it turns out.
After five years as head chef at the award-winning Havana Bar and Restaurant in Wellington, Chef Hoon made the bold move to continue his creative culinary journey in Canterbury, accepting the role of junior sous chef at luxury alpine lodge Flockhill’s new Sugar Loaf restaurant. We sat down with him to learn more about this exciting chef, where he gets his inspiration from, and what advice he has for the next generation of chefs.
What led you to become a chef?
Coming from a traditional Korean home, I had a passion for food and was used to delicious traditional family home cooking. One day I visited a fine dining restaurant in Korea – and had an amazing experience. The food was like nothing I had ever tried before! I recognised I couldn’t cook this at home myself but I wanted to learn. I asked the restaurant if I could have a job and of course they said no. So, I went home, created a resumé and went back to try again. I got a job starting as a kitchen hand in this beautiful one-star Michelin restaurant learning all about how the kitchen works, communication, and the skill it takes to create amazing dishes. Working my way to sous chef and constantly hungry to learn more, I wanted to learn English in an English-speaking country and decided the beautiful fresh produce and protein of NZ was where I wanted to do this. This was the beginning of my Kiwi adventure!
What is your creative process for a new dish?
As NZ is so seasonal with its produce, I start with something that’s in season and build a dish around this. I get inspiration from everywhere and I love travel, so I spend a lot of my downtime travelling around the country and the world with my partner trying as many dishes as I can. From casual to high end, I like to understand what and how the dishes are created. When I’m back in the kitchen, I take these learnings and build on them, taking inspiration from cookbooks and online, testing and trialling what works and what doesn’t. Then I’ll share the dish with the team to get their feedback and adjust. Fresh food is always the best part of any dish, so I make sure this is the hero no matter what.
What is your signature dish?
Octopus, gently boiled until tender, then dried out overnight. I marinate it in chilli syrup, pan fry to caramelise the syrup and finish it off by grilling on the barbecue for the smoky flavour and char. The dish is served with squid ink vinegar and crispy chickpeas.
What is a career highlight for you?
Creating a new menu with the team at Havana in Wellington, and beating out some amazing venues to win a coveted Hat last year! But a daily highlight is being able to see our customers enjoy what we create - and of course being thanked by them!
What are some of the changes you have seen in the industry over the years?
Inflation is the biggest topic of course. People are careful with their money, but are happy to pay to have a whole sensory experience. Serving dishes that are consistent in quality and flavour will ensure you have return customers.
What gets you out of bed every day?
At Flockhill in Canterbury, there is a wonderful gardener on site who brings the fresh produce of the day every day, so we don’t know what we are going to get. That is the most exciting part. Being creative and constantly challenged brings excitement to every single day.
What do you like to cook at home?
Instant Korean noodles! I get creative with this as a base, adding whatever produce is on hand. In the summer my favourite is to add ice to the soup to make the dish cold, as this is a taste of home in the heat.
Any words of inspiration for junior chefs?
If you want to learn, you need to have a good attitude so you can achieve great things. Challenge yourself and stay humble to learn as much as you can – and of course don’t give up!
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