Judy Joo

Judy Joo is a Korean-American chef, author, and television personality renowned for making Korean cuisine accessible to Western audiences.

In 2004, Joo transitioned from the finance world to the culinary world, graduating at the top of her class from the French Culinary Institute in New York. She gained experience in esteemed kitchens such as Gordon Ramsay's restaurants in London, including Maze, Petrus, and The Boxwood Café. She also completed stages at internationally renowned establishments like The French Laundry, Nahm in Bangkok, and The Fat Duck. ​

Joo made her mark on television as one of the four Iron Chefs on "Iron Chef UK," becoming the first female Iron Chef in the United Kingdom and the second globally. She hosted "Korean Food Made Simple" for two seasons, a show that aired globally on Food Network and Cooking Channel, where she showcased Korean recipes and cooking techniques.

As an author, Joo has published two cookbooks: "Korean Food Made Simple" and "Korean Soul Food," both aimed at demystifying Korean cuisine for home cooks. In 2015, she opened Jinjuu, a modern Korean restaurant in London’s Soho district, which expanded to three locations, including Hong Kong.