(article from February issue of Groove)
31 year old Harry Yi joined Macaroni Market in Itaewon as a chef in June of last year. Ten years as a professional chef, Yi has worked in North America, Australia and Korea. This past October Yi entered the 1st Amazing Korean Table Competition. This competition brought together rising young chefs and world class chefs like Pierre Gagnaire and Mossimo Bottura. Preparing for the competition took extensive preparation. The final challenge had Yi's team preparing 6 dishes in 2 hours. How I would have loved to have been a taste tester when he served his seasoned rice wrapped in pumpkin leaves dish!
Yi entered the competition in order to exempt out of a required class at the University where he attends morning classes. Well, Yi got his wish and more when he won the Amazing Korean Table Competition. This Spring, Yi will collect on his grand prize as he travels to Paris to work in Pierre Gagnaire's restaurant for 3 months. Yi hopes to create fabulous new dishes as well as learn Gagnaire's secrets to maintaining one of the best restaurants in the world.
The experience Yi is about to embark on will be extraordinary but there is no doubt that Yi already hass a handle on creating fabulous food.
Having recently devoured his twist
on the classic macaroni and cheese, its obvious Yi is comfortable
catering to many different palates. While his mac 'n cheese is a
popular dish on the Macaroni Market menu, Yi suggested duck confit
and sundried tomato tartine for new patrons.
Harry Yi is rising fast in the culinary world. I can't wait to see what 2010 brings for Harry- and for all of us who love his creations in the kitchen!
(check out more info on YI, and pictures over at Dan Gray's site Seoul Eats)
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