After 'Black and White 2'? Chaebol heads take care of the table..Park Hyo Nam chose "master" instead of commercialization [★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

"Black and White Cook 2" left, and "Real Adult" left. Park Hyo-nam (64) has become a model for the public by showing the dignity of a Korean culinary master.

Park Hyo-nam is truly known as a 'chef of chefs' and a 'living legend'. As Korea's first-generation French chef, he was the first Hilton hotel chain in the world to be appointed as a "local chef" and held his position for a whopping 15 years beyond his two-year term. In 2006, he was the first Korean chef to be awarded the "MERITE AGRICOLE" by the French government. At the Singapore World Cuisine Conference, one of the world's top three culinary competitions, he was the first Korean to win gold medals in five categories, and in 2014 he was selected as a master of Korean cuisine and received a presidential citation. What's more surprising is that this spectacular 47-year cooking career is now in progress. Master Park Hyo-nam is still active and is also a professor of cooking industry management at Sejong Cyber University.

Master Park Hyo-nam jumped into OTT Netflix's "Black and White Chef: Cooking Class War 2" (hereinafter referred to as "Black and White Chef 2"), adding to the weight of the program. Master Park Hyo-nam said in a one-on-one match with French Papa (Lee Dong-joon), who said he had developed his dream of becoming a chef while looking at him, "I want you to be the best chef beyond me. He created a famous scene with the encouragement of a true adult, "I wish I could fly much on my back."

Even when he saw the bitter taste of elimination in the fourth round of the ninth inning, master Park Hyo-nam said, "I have no regrets. The person who falls doesn't become a loser. Because there is a way, I am really happy and grateful," he said, resonating with many people.

Even after "Black and White Cook 2" which ended last month, master Park Hyo-nam was still working hard. In a recent interview with Star News, he said, "Nothing has changed. As a professor at Sejong Cyber University, I am guiding my classmates and preparing to open a new restaurant," he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Master Park Hyo-nam said, "What has changed is that we are receiving tremendous support through SNS. There have also been more requests for photos and autographs. Not long ago, a couple recognized me on the subway and quietly handed me a note when I got off. Today, a cafe employee asked me to take a picture because he was a fan. I just did my best, but thank you so much for your interest and support in me."

When asked about his thoughts on the challenge of "Black and White Chef 2", he said, "I actually didn't know except for a few chefs, but there were a lot of really great young chefs. Each person has a philosophy in cooking, so I thought that the white spoon and the black spoon were all in equal position. I thought it was amazing to see him show something better than the dish I was pursuing. I was also greatly stimulated and learned a lot. The team also made harmony by counting each other's hearts. It's been a long time since I've done this, so I got another one here," he recalled differently.

Master Park Hyo-nam, who is also the chief chef of Kongdu Myeong-dong, said, "He came from Geoje Island yesterday to eat my food and also from Daejeon. I'm so grateful that there are customers coming from the provinces. I want to do something more, whether it's a photo shoot or an autograph. When I asked what I could do for those who support me, I said, "It's cooking after all, but I really want to give it to you through cooking."

Master Park Hyo-nam, who boasts over 40 years of experience. He said, "I always cook with the mindset that I eat. And most of all, I always check the customers' plates. When I see an empty plate, I feel the greatest joy and joy. If there is any food left, rather than getting hurt, ask the reason directly. Each and every customer who tells me about the taste is a valuable teacher. I listen to the voices of the customers and try to study more," he said, explaining the secret of his long run.

Master Park Hyo-nam then said, "What you do on the spot is no different from the 'Black and White Cook 2' team match. Cooking is not done alone, so what I always emphasize is communication with employees. What I always say to those friends is each other's chemistry. He mentioned the philosophy that "when teamwork is right, delicious food comes out."

In addition, master Park Hyo-nam surprised viewers by telling the story of losing a finger in a childhood accident in "Black and White Chef 2." He said, "I don't think it's a disability. I think it's a difference of thought. I didn't think it was difficult at all while working, but I found my own way of holding a knife. On the contrary, I'm glad I didn't hurt all ten fingers. Instead of losing a finger, I got a big heart of the power of positivity. Whatever you do, you have to have a positive way of thinking to do your job well. If you think negatively, it's hard for each other. Isn't there no such thing as 100% satisfaction in the first place. Everything is up to me," he said with a detached attitude.

He also revealed his recent situation of focusing on his main job, politely rejecting pouring love calls. He said, "In fact, there are a lot of offers coming in such as advertisements, but I turned them all down. I just want to remain the chef and the master of Park Hyo-nam as I am now. I don't want to be a product," he stressed.

Master Park Hyo-nam is set to be launched as the general chef of the premium dining restaurant "Orbit 50" on the 50th floor of FKI Tower in Yeouido, Seoul, in March. The restaurant, run by Our Home, affiliated with Hanwha Group, is a private club for members of the Korea Economic Association, and master Park Hyo-nam will be in charge of the tables of Korean business leaders. It is expected to be used by Lotte Chairman Shin Dong-bin, Hanwha Chairman Kim Seung-yeon, GS Chairman Huh Tae-soo, Doosan Chairman Park Jung-won, Hanjin Chairman Cho Won-tae, Kolon Honorary Chairman Lee Woong-yeol, Hyosung Chairman Cho Hyun-joon and Samyang Holdings Chairman Kim Yoon.

In addition, the Kongdu Yeouido store will be newly opened next to Olbit 50 in April. In response, Master Park Hyo-nam said, "The direction of the new restaurant is 'people' and 'respect'. I will go horizontally with the people I work with. Even though I'm the chef, I'm not cooking alone. After all, respect for employees and each other is the most important thing. The next dream I want to achieve is to promote good ingredients in our country and present French food with ours. I'm making French cuisine, but I got the medal because I spread French food made using Korean ingredients. Rather than being formal, we will build a restaurant where anyone can enjoy French cuisine comfortably," he said.

In addition, Master Park Hyo-nam said, "The age range of students who take my class varies from 20s to 60s. I call them all friends, and I want to remain the kind of professor who can help them. So I said that I have to study for the rest of my life, and I want to study steadily and give strength to these friends."

Finally, Master Park Hyo-nam said, "Cooking is constant, and it is infinite. It's really fun to make new dishes and I'm so happy. So I think the kitchen is a playground. Just as I played happily in the playground in the old days, I feel calm when I enter the kitchen. I'm always looking forward to it," he said, expressing his unstoppable passion.

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*This content was translated by AI.