The story of chef Cho Kwang-hyo is a testament to lifeโs unpredictable twists.
A decade ago, he was a bicycle designer in South Korea with no culinary training or particular interest in food.
Today, he is widely known as the Comic Book Chef from Netflixโs cooking survival show Culinary Class Wars โ in which he stood out as a self-taught chef against Koreaโs most acclaimed culinary legends.
In early July, the chef, who runs two Sichuan restaurants in Seoul, was in Hong Kong for a four-hands collaboration with Kyle Lee, executive chef of Honjokko in the cityโs Quarry Bay neighbourhood.
The pairโs menu blended Korean, Japanese and Chinese influences paired with soju, makgeolli and champagne. It also featured Choโs signature Dongpo pork and mapo tofu, which were both spotlighted on Culinary Class Wars. The menu will be available at the restaurant until August 3.
Cho admits he is as surprised by his journey as anyone. He recalls lying on his bed watching YouTube when he saw the advertisement that changed his life.