Judy Joo

Judy Joo
Born	Summit, New Jersey, United States
Occupation(s)	Chef, author, restaurateur, television personality
Known for	Presenter of Food Network's Korean Food Made Simple and Iron Chef UK; founder of Seoul Bird restaurant chain

Judy Joo is an American chef, author, restaurateur, and television figure. She gained recognition as the presenter of Food Network's Korean Food Made Simple and Iron Chef UK, in addition to founding the Seoul Bird restaurant chain, which operates in London, Las Vegas, and New York.

Early life and education

Born in Summit, New Jersey to Korean immigrant parents, Judy Joo's father, Eui Don Joo, originally hailed from Chŏngju—now within North Korea—and moved south during the division of the Korean Peninsula. After earning his medical degree in Seoul, he immigrated to the United States in 1967 and practiced psychiatry. Her mother, Young Nim Park from Icheon, South Korea, arrived in the U.S. a year later to pursue a master's degree in chemistry at Ohio State University and eventually became a real estate agent.

Growing up in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, Joo was raised under what she describes as a "typical tiger mom" environment. She attended the private all-girls school Kent Place School, where she and her sister were among the few Asian students. In 1997, she earned a degree in industrial engineering and operations research from Columbia University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. Today, she is a member of Columbia's Board of Visitors and delivered the commencement address for its 2018 graduating class.

Career

Joo initially entered the finance sector with an internship at Goldman Sachs followed by a position at Morgan Stanley specializing in institutional fixed income derivatives sales. In 2004, she shifted her career path to the culinary arts after completing a six-month pastry program at New York’s French Culinary Institute. She subsequently worked as an editorial assistant within Saveur magazine’s test kitchen and volunteered with Slow Food USA, where she taught cooking and nutrition to children at a Harlem elementary school.

After relocating to London, Joo honed her skills at several establishments owned by Gordon Ramsay, including Maze, Pétrus, and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. She also completed culinary internships at renowned restaurants such as The French Laundry and The Fat Duck. At age 36 in 2011, she was appointed executive chef at the relaunched Playboy Club in Mayfair, London—a role offered by Caesars Entertainment following her appearance on a televised cooking competition. Her menu featured American staples like steak and burgers alongside Korean-inspired dishes such as japchae and kimchi tacos, drawing notable patrons including Justin Bieber and Kate Moss.

In 2014, businessman Kia Joorabchian invited Joo to establish her own restaurant in Soho, London. With funding from Ali Jassim—advisor to Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan—Jinjuu opened on Kingly Street in early 2015. While critics lauded certain Korean dishes like bibimbap, they expressed reservations about service quality and atmosphere. Nevertheless, Jinjuu achieved "Plate" recognition in the 2018 Michelin Guide and received accolades for its interior design.

Later that year, Jinjuu expanded into Hong Kong with investments from businessman Bruce Rockowitz, singer Coco Lee, and entrepreneur Allan Zeman. Joo resided in Hong Kong for three months prior to launching the 120-seat venue situated in Lan Kwai Fong. A third branch debuted in Mayfair in 2016 with Joorabchian maintaining his partnership. Following the closure of both Hong Kong and Mayfair locations, Joo departed from Jinjuu's operations in 2019; the original Soho site ultimately shut down in 2023.

In 2020, Joo introduced Seoul Bird, a fast-casual Korean dining brand that opened outlets at Westfield London (Shepherd's Bush), Canary Wharf (2021), Las Vegas’s Aria Resort and Casino (2022), and Brooklyn’s Barclays Center (2023).

Joo has participated in prominent culinary engagements: in 2021, she instructed royal chef Mark Flanagan on kimchi preparation during an event hosted by the South Korean Embassy in London; more recently in 2023, she provided British-Korean fusion canapés at 10 Downing Street during South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s official visit hosted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Television

Following an unexpected encounter with a television producer in 2008, Joo became a frequent guest on the culinary program Market Kitchen. Subsequently, she was selected to appear in the 2010 debut of Iron Chef UK on Channel 4, alongside Sanjay Dwivedi and Michelin-starred chefs Martin Blunos and Tom Aikens. The format involved contestants challenging a seasoned "iron chef" by preparing four dishes within the same allotted time. Although the franchise enjoyed popularity in the US and Japan, the UK adaptation struggled to gain an audience and was cancelled midway through its season.

This television visibility opened additional doors for her career. Starting in 2011, Joo took on judging roles across various Food Network competition series in the United States, such as The Next Iron Chef, Iron Chef America, Iron Chef Gauntlet, Kitchen Inferno, Beat Bobby Flay, Guy's Grocery Games, Bobby's Triple Threat, and House of Knives. She also participated as a competitor on Iron Chef America facing off against Alex Guarnaschelli.

In 2012, Joo presented the documentary Judy Joo's Homecoming: Invitation to South Jeolla Cuisine for Korean broadcaster MBC, delving into authentic Korean cooking traditions. Following this, she hosted two seasons of Korean Food Made Simple, which aired in the US on Cooking Channel, on MBC in South Korea, and across 13 additional countries via Food Network. The Korea Food Foundation supported this project after four years of pitching efforts.

During 2021 and 2022, Joo appeared on ITV’s culinary contest Cooking with the Stars, mentoring musician Naughty Boy and comedian Joe Wilkinson. Her television appearances also include programs such as Today, Good Morning America, Sunday Brunch, Saturday Kitchen, The Wendy Williams Show, and James Martin's Saturday Morning.

Bibliography

Beyond her own cookbooks, Joo has contributed articles to esteemed publications including the Financial Times, The Guardian, Forbes Travel Guide, and National Geographic.

• Korean Food Made Simple, 2016 (ISBN 9781910254721)
• Judy Joo's Korean Soul Food, 2019 (ISBN 9780711251670)
• K-Quick: Korean Food in 30 Minutes or Less, 2025 (ISBN 9780711297586)

See also

• Korean Americans in New York City

External links

• Official website
• IMDb profile
• "Out of the Fire, Into the Frying Pan," by Judy Joo, Wall Street Journal, January 23, 2009