Chef's Story

Episode 34: Judy Joo

Episode Summary

Get to know Judy Joo on this weeks episode of Chefs Story! Judy is one of the four Iron Chefs for the UK and the Executive Chef for The Playboy Club London, which launched in all of its 1960s glamour this summer. Judy went to Columbia University where in addition to earning a Bachelors of Science degree in engineering, she explored New Yorks diverse culinary offerings and whet her palate for gastronomic adventures. For several years, she embarked on a career on Morgan Stanleys fixed income trading floor, but Judy still felt the lure of the kitchen and decided to pursue her true passion and enrolled at the French Culinary Institute. She went on to work in Saveur magazines test kitchen developing recipes, researching food traditions and writing. Judy also started Slow Food USAs first inner city Slow Food in Schools project in Harlem at The Childrens Storefront School, where she was a math tutor. Tune in to hear her culinary journey in her own words, and find out why Iron Chef is still one of the most stressful, yet rewarding, things in her life! This program was sponsored by White Oak Pastures Growing up in New Jersey - cooking wasnt presented to me as a career choice. I didnt consider culinary as a career until much later. [03:00] Science is part of cooking, inherently! [10:00] Iron Chef is one of the most stressful things Ive done in my entire life. [30:00] I generally pull from all over. Im a French trained, Korean born, British chef! [32:00] --Chef Judy Joo on Chefs Story

Episode Notes

Get to know Judy Joo on this week’s episode of Chef’s Story! Judy is one of the four Iron Chefs for the UK and the Executive Chef for The Playboy Club London, which launched in all of its 1960’s glamour this summer. Judy went to Columbia University where in addition to earning a Bachelor’s of Science degree in engineering, she explored New York’s diverse culinary offerings and whet her palate for gastronomic adventures. For several years, she embarked on a career on Morgan Stanley’s fixed income trading floor, but Judy still felt the lure of the kitchen and decided to pursue her true passion and enrolled at the French Culinary Institute. She went on to work in Saveur magazine’s test kitchen developing recipes, researching food traditions and writing. Judy also started Slow Food USA’s first inner city Slow Food in Schools project in Harlem at The Children’s Storefront School, where she was a math tutor. Tune in to hear her culinary journey in her own words, and find out why Iron Chef is still one of the most stressful, yet rewarding, things in her life! This program was sponsored by White Oak Pastures

“Growing up in New Jersey – cooking wasn’t presented to me as a career choice. I didn’t consider culinary as a career until much later.” [03:00]

“Science is part of cooking, inherently!” [10:00]

“Iron Chef is one of the most stressful things I’ve done in my entire life.” [30:00]

“I generally pull from all over. I’m a French trained, Korean born, British chef!” [32:00]

–Chef Judy Joo on Chef’s Story