Basic Information:

Baek Jongwon was born on September 4, 1966, in Yesan, a county in South Korea. By the time he graduated, Baek Jongwon owned three restaurants. He has always been talented in the business industry, considering he is now the CEO of 26 franchises.

Q. How Did Baek Jongwon get involved in the Cooking Industry?

A. During his university years, Baek Jongwon worked at a fried chicken restaurant. There, he suggested the owner should add a delivery service. Business was booming, but the old owner could not handle the number of orders she received daily. So, she gave ownership of the restaurant to Baek Jongwon. From then on, he was able to showcase his talent in business by bringing in a hefty amount of money from the restaurant.

Q. How Popular is Baek Jongwon?

A. Baek Jongwon is the Gordon Ramsey of Korea, his face is quite prominent all around the large country. His restaurants are not rated 5 stars and extremely expensive, instead, they’re your average café or grill house with affordable foods. He lives in Korea with his family with millions of dollars to spend.

Q. What Motivated Baek Jongwon to Become a Chef?

A. When Baek Jongwon finished his military service, he was met with a wave of depression due to Korea’s financial crisis back in 2010. Suicidal thoughts littered his brain, and he was considering ending his own life. When Baek jongwon was having his ‘final meal’, positive thoughts overcame him. He envisioned himself becoming a successful businessman that could support his family and own many restaurants. And not only did he tell the future, but he incorporated loads of hard work to become the celebrity he is.

Essential Question: How has Baek Jongwon affected food culture with his easy-to-make home dishes and unique personality?

A. Baek Jongwon has a YouTube channel with a total of 5.3 million subscribers where he shares simple Korean meals that can be made at the comfort of your own home. Most of his videos are under 10 minutes, where he creates simple meals with his own twist that hook viewers. His effect on food culture is quite prominent as he does not go the traditional way and create complicated dishes that are hard to imitate. Instead, he is like a parental figure making food using common ingredients. Baek Jongwon has a bubbly and cheeky personality, his kindness is quite refreshing in the food industry. He does not act like he’s perfect, Baek Jongwon does not cut out his mistakes when recording. Instead, he embraces them which can be quite impactful for amateur chefs. Baek Jongwon has proved that you do not need to be gourmet or make difficult recipes to earn a fortune. His influence on chefs has been positive and promotes a healthy mindset.