Sous-Chef Jongwon Kim

"The team is my driving force, and our standards should never be compromised."Sous-Chef Jongwon Kim shares his sincere story of growth and responsibility through his time at Solbam.

How did you first get into cooking?

I've always been sensitive to taste since I was a child. People around me often said I should try pursuing something in the culinary field. Honestly, when it came time to decide on a career path, I didn’t really have a clear dream. So I thought I’d apply to a culinary program since I had a natural interest—but my father strongly opposed the idea.

I made up my mind to work in Seoul and study on my own to get a cooking license. I started working part-time as a server at an Italian buffet-style restaurant. One day, the chef there learned that I was studying for the culinary certification and suggested I try working in the kitchen. That’s how I ended up working there for over three years, learning everything in the kitchen.

What kind of career path have you had since?

I never had any illusions about fine dining. Starting in a buffet restaurant, I didn’t even really understand what fine dining was. I just thought it was about making dishes look fancy without much substance. Honestly, it’s a surprise even to me that I’ve come this far.

After moving on from my first restaurant, I met Chef Eom Tae-jun for the first time in a new kitchen. That was six years ago now. I was still young, and Chef Eom was about 29 then. Even back then, he’d always say things like, “I’m going to do this and that in the future,” making bold statements about his goals. At the time, I thought maybe he was just being a bit pretentious. (laughs) But after spending several years working closely with him, I realized—he really meant every word and followed through on all of it. It was all genuine.

Eventually, we went our separate ways. I took a head chef position at a casual restaurant in the U.S., but after the pandemic hit, I returned to Seoul and started working at a premium pork restaurant. Still, I couldn’t find the motivation there. When the restaurant's revenue began to drop, the owner told me he wanted to downsize and asked my opinion on whom to let go. But the first thought that came to me was—I wanted to leave.

While I was taking a break from work, Chef Eom came to find me and asked me to join him at Solbam. That’s how I ended up here.

Four years have flown by. What has your time at Solbam been like?

I’m approaching my fourth full year here. At first, I just thought, “Let me try this for two years.” I was still a little intimidated by fine dining, and it turned out to be more challenging than I had expected. But then I got promoted to sous-chef, and I thought, “Maybe I’ll do one more year.” That year went by in a flash. (laughs)

Honestly, it’s hard to feel passionate every single day when you’re doing this as a job. But that doesn’t mean the passion disappears. It just comes and goes, like waves. Some days you feel low. But whenever I look at the team, I regain my energy. That’s the kind of team Solbam is. Also, doing collaboration events and restaurant pop-ups gives me a lot of inspiration. Those experiences give me fresh motivation.

Can you share an episode where a collaboration gave you new motivation?

I think collaborations bring energy to the entire team. Of course, the guest chefs are important, but I’m actually more impressed by the younger cooks from other restaurants—the line cooks, the juniors. Working side-by-side with the people who really make the restaurant function gives me this feeling that, "Everyone everywhere is working so hard." It’s humbling.

Not long ago, I was on a business trip to Taiwan, working with teams from Thailand, Japan, and Taiwan. It was truly moving. Some of the cooks were much younger than me, and even though they were busy with their own tasks on the day of the event, they still offered to help and showed a strong eagerness to learn. That kind of attitude warms your heart instantly. That experience made me want to re-evaluate our own standards and raise the bar even higher.

You must’ve gone through some personal changes after nearly four years at Solbam.

I’ve changed a lot. Looking back, it feels like we were just a group of people with little experience coming together with the single goal of “doing fine dining right.” A lot of the staff didn’t have extensive backgrounds in high-end restaurants.

But we put our hearts into our work every single day, and I think that’s what created the identity of Solbam. Chef Eom’s personality naturally infused the space, and it shaped the way the team works. Over time, we developed a refined style that I now think of as distinctly “Solbam.” Then we started hiring people who naturally fit in better, shared the same values—and the team got stronger.

Has the team changed a lot over time too?

Definitely. Now I feel like I’m working with people who truly embody the spirit of Solbam. Interestingly, even when we conduct interviews, we seem to naturally pick people who match our energy. And the way we train new staff also reflects that. It’s not something that happens easily, but looking back, I feel like it all settled into place nicely.

So what exactly is this “Solbam-ness”?

It’s hard to define with words. But once someone starts working here, they begin to understand. During trials, you can't fully gauge someone’s personality or character in just a day or two.

So we focus on their basic attitude. Do they take initiative to clean during downtime? Do they notice what’s lacking in the kitchen and step in without being told? If something’s on the floor, do they pick it up without a word? Those things seem basic, but they’re surprisingly rare.

This mindset comes from Chef Eom. At some point, I began to see how vital this standard really is. People who have a solid foundation are much easier to teach. And in reality, those are the people who stay the longest and fit in best.

How has your role at Solbam changed? What’s been the biggest challenge?

When I first joined, I was just trying to keep up. But after becoming sous-chef, things changed. It wasn’t just about doing my job well anymore—it was about leading the team.

Even teams that seem harmonious from the outside experience conflicts and emotional tensions. At first, managing that was hard. I wanted everyone to get along, and I spent a lot of energy worrying about that.

But now my perspective has shifted. Relationships are ultimately each person’s responsibility. As someone in a higher position, my job is to focus on what’s truly important for the restaurant.

I love soccer, and there’s a line from a Real Madrid documentary that really stuck with me: “We’re not a team because we like each other—we’re a team because we want to win.” Solbam is the same. Of course, we’re warm and open-minded at our core, but we don’t all need to be best friends. As long as the energy flows in the right direction, that’s what matters.

What exactly is your role now at Solbam?

As sous-chef, my role is to embody the head chef’s philosophy and standards within the team. One of our core principles is: “Don’t compromise.”

During service, I make the final checks before any dish leaves the kitchen. I verify plating, seasoning, the overall execution—everything. I’m the final gatekeeper before it reaches the guest.

A single plate can shape the guest’s entire experience, so I take this role very seriously. After all, it's my hands that give the final approval.

You’ve spent quite some time at Solbam now. What does it mean to you?

At some point, Solbam stopped being just a “workplace” and became a real part of my life. I got married while working here, and now I have a child. The most important moments of my life have happened during my time here. That makes it all the more meaningful.

Looking ahead, I want to work with the team toward earning a second Michelin star. As someone who helps convey the chef’s philosophy to the team, I hope we keep moving in the same direction. Of course, one or two stars can’t represent all our efforts—but as cooks, it’s still an important benchmark. Receiving two stars would mean our uncompromising standards have been recognized, and that makes it meaningful.

How do you relieve stress these days?

Recently, I’ve started a small gathering with other chefs my age. They’re all either head chefs or sous-chefs at other fine dining restaurants. Each of them has spent many years in their respective kitchens. One friend has worked at the same place for 7 or 8 years. I thought I’d been here a long time with almost 4 years under my belt, but that made me think—I should probably aim for 5 years, at least. Chatting with them and exchanging ideas always sparks something in me.

But more than anything, spending time with my family is the best way to recharge. Watching my baby grow day by day brings me real joy. That’s the most certain kind of healing.