I wasn’t particularly stubborn, but I had strong opinions and was quite a mischievous child. I was really interested in becoming a police officer, a historian [focusing on] East Asian history, or a chef – and by the age of 13 or 14, I had already decided to become a chef. I loved bread from a young age, which first got me interested in baking, but when I tried making bread for the first time, I felt it didn’t suit my personality, so I naturally turned to cooking instead.

Since primary school, I was the only one in my family who had a different breakfast. I still remember eating various types of bread, which weren’t very common at the time, along with milk, granola, rice cakes, or fruits with muesli. I had a particular love for these kinds of carbohydrates, especially bread, which eventually led me to develop an interest in cooking.

I think I felt a mix of excitement and a bit of nervousness. To be honest, I’m not a very emotional person – I’m quite practical. Since it was a decision I had thought through and made myself, I just accepted it and moved forward.

It was a stage [the cheffing equivalent of an internship], so I wouldn’t say I was officially working there, but when I first came to London as a student at Le Cordon Bleu, I spent around four months going to Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester every Saturday. That was my first experience in a Michelin-starred kitchen.

The first time we met was during my last course at Le Cordon Bleu, while Bomee was taking her first pastry course. A mutual friend introduced us by chance, but nothing really came of it at the time. About two years later, I had some free time before heading to Busan for a new restaurant project. During that period, I worked at the first French restaurant in my hometown. There was no dedicated pastry chef, so I needed someone to help, and that’s when I thought of Bomee.

At that time, she was running her blog, where she shared a lot about pastry techniques, terminology, and famous shops and bakeries in Paris. I often read it for pastry-related information, but only later did I realise that the blog’s owner was Bomee. I asked a mutual friend to reach out to her for help; she gladly accepted and came to assist me several times. And, now, here we are.

All three places were very different, and I appreciated each of them for different reasons. Koffmann’s was the first restaurant where I officially worked in London. For me, just having the chance to work alongside chef Pierre Koffmann, someone I had only ever heard of as a legendary figure, felt like an incredible stroke of luck. During break times, while other staff would head to a nearby pub or take a rest elsewhere, I would always stay close to the chef’s office, hoping to exchange even a few more words or ask him another question. Because of that, I truly valued and remembered every little piece of advice he gave me. He was already quite senior at that time so, of course, he wasn’t the same as chefs in their prime, but just being able to work with him daily in the kitchen was a privilege. To this day, we have a great relationship – though I have to admit, he adores Bomee about 10,000 times more than me.

The Ledbury – whether others agree or not – was, for me, the best restaurant in the world, and still it is. It was also the toughest place to work, filled with people who pushed themselves to the limit and endured it. Normally, before applying to a restaurant, I would always eat there first to make sure I really liked the food. With The Ledbury, there was no question – it was an incredible experience from the very first visit. I was lucky to get the chance to work there, and it was unbelievably difficult. I wasn’t there for long, and to be honest, I wasn’t particularly outstanding or exceptionally skilled in that kitchen and never became a key member in the kitchen. Despite that, I feel like it had a huge impact on me. I loved the food and style so much that, when I was younger, I often tried to capture The Ledbury’s style.

At The Arts Club, things were a little different. Having worked in such a demanding kitchen before, I found myself more comfortable adapting to The Arts Club’s environment. Plus, Bomee had already made a great impression and earned a strong reputation as a pastry chef under Claude Lamarche – he is her mentor chef – which made me feel a little more at ease. I think that confidence helped me do better in my role. The food was simple but really delicious, and I learned a lot from my time there.

It’s a bit difficult to choose just one. Beef tartare, gamtae, daikon tarte tatin, and black pain perdu all represent our style, identity, and the direction we want to take. And, of course, they’re all delicious. In particular, the daikon tarte tatin best embodies Sollip’s culinary style, while the black pain perdu is simply irresistible.

Being a Michelin-starred restaurant doesn’t make me feel particularly different. Whether we have a star or not, we always have to do our best, and the challenges remain the same. What matters more is maintaining a mindset that constantly pushes my own standards higher and ensuring that my actions align with that. To maintain quality, I try to judge based on processes and outcomes rather than relying solely on one person’s palate or intuition.

As you might have guessed, The Ledbury. For all the reasons I mentioned earlier, I went there frequently while working, after leaving, and even when visiting London. Over time, all those memories have built up, making it such a special place that the taste of the food itself is no longer the most important part for me.

Brett Graham. I tend to find people like him impressive – those who achieve things I find difficult to do myself. I also believe that becoming a star is easy, but becoming a true master is much harder. He has achieved so much with that one small restaurant, not just in London or the UK, but on a global scale. If he wanted, he could have taken a path to become even more famous or wealthier. Yet, he still spends every day in the kitchen from morning to night, working just as hard as any other staff members. On top of that, he remains passionate about projects like pig farming and other related endeavours.

I enjoy going out for good food with my family or cooking at home, exercising, reading books, and watching films. I appreciate the simple things – good bread with coffee, exercise, films, and history books, especially when I can share them with my family.