Chef Profile: Moonyoung Jung

Drive & A True Love of Cooking

In November 2021, the BC Culinary Apprentice of the Year competition was hosted in Vancouver at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts.

After weeks of preparation and hours of competition, Chef Moonyoung Jung, Fairmont Pacific Rim, was crowned the 2021 winner

Chef Jung’s journey to this culinary accomplishment began in Korea, where he was born and raised until his parents encouraged him to study abroad first doing a homestay for high school and then attending business school for a year. But after that first year, Moonyoung recognized he was feeling unfulfilled and unhappy with his program and quickly deviated from his and his parents original plan—by entering the Vancouver Community College Culinary Arts program in 2013.

When he moved to Canada, Chef Jung was all on his own navigating a new country and the culture shocks that come along with it. Which mean he discovered, applied for, and got into the VCC program on his own merits and drive. It wasn’t until after he was accepted into the program that Moonyoung brought this life change up to his parents who were initially shocked but ultimately supportive of whatever path would make him happy.

Once he began his culinary education and began to meet chefs in the industry like Chef Hamid Salimian his passion and drive to delve into to culinary world was truly ignited. He was in the first VCC-International class with Chef JC Felicella. In this program, Chef Jung would learn a numerous amount of skills including theoretical and practical knowledge for cooking in commercial hospitality, how to design and execute menus, industry healthy and safety, and how to think about sustainability in the industry along with his professional career.

 There was a learning curve for Moonyoung since he didn’t have much knowledge of the industry when he applied to the program—he had no culinary background unlike many chefs in the industry. But that didn’t hold him back and he quickly learned to say “Yes Chef,” and to put his best foot forward with everything he did.

This included stepping up when Chef Instructors brough opportunities to him and his classmates to help out when restaurants around the city needed extra hands.

 

That’s how he began working at The Peartree Restaurant (which has since closed) with Chef Jaeger.

Jung was given an address with the instructions to show up there at 2pm and work hard from Chef Instructor Hamid.

And work hard he did! Moonyoung worked his way up from the dish corner and through every station at The Peartree during his time there.

But it began by finishing up at VCC Monday to Friday, and then working at The Peartree on Saturdays for six months. Upon graduation Chef Scott offered Jung a full time position and Moonyoung remained at the Peartree for the next 5 ½ years until it closed in 2020.

But in those six years, he was learning about the inspiration that comes from a team that works together.

 From being the “dish corner guy” who was chocked full of nerves so he kept his head down getting his work done without watching full service, Moonyoung grew in confidence and began to see the bigger picture.  

While he learned how to make pastry he discovered he really enjoyed making the popular and signature item: the lemon tart. And enjoyed being able to indulge by eating on Saturday nights when there were leftovers.

But his favourite position while at the Peartree was working on the pass directing the whole kitchen and working alongside Chef Jaeger.

 Which is likely where he picked up the biggest lesson Scott Jaeger taught him during his time there: the drive. Followed by organization.

After the closure of the Peartree and amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic, Moonyoung took about 10 months to rest as he knew moments to take time in the industry were few and fair between so approached this break as a pause. A time to relax and enjoy and play a ton of sports, which if he were to get injured playing while working would be hard on his body and potentially career.

It was in June 2021 that Chef Damen Campbell reached out to Chef Jung with a position at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. As the industry network is strong, yhey had previously met in the kitchen at the Peartree after Damen ate dinner there!

Moonyoung has been at the Fairmont for just over 7 months and while it was difficult to make the adjustment from restaurant to Hotel, he has found his groove in the Gold Lounge preparing canape! But he wants to experience it all—which has been his mantra since VCC.

Chef Jung is interested in doing an International Stage in the States at a Michelin star restaurant in order to keep building his skills and learn in new environments as both Chef Jaeger and Campbell have encouraged him to try different experiences out!

With a more recent realization that each chef has their own style, Moon is interested in seeing and working with as many chefs as he can while he discovers and creates his own.

And while he as a lot to learn, he does have far away dreams of having his own kitchen. And the menu he put out that won the Apprentice of the Year competition proves that Chef Jung is on the right path.

Moonyoung’s drive will surely see him competing in the future as an individual or as part of a team. And he looks forward to that.

As for the Apprentice of the year, he was completely in the moment day off, focused on getting his dishes done and out. After over a month of preparation, being in the kitchen everyday, he knew his hard work had paid off when his name was called. His DMs were flooded and while there was a bit of overwhelm, Moon was extremely happy and very grateful.

After winning, he even shared photos of him cooking during the competition and his winning menu to his parents for the first time.

 

 

He has yet to be able to cook for his parents, and visits have been few and far between in the 12 years since he left Korea but he dreams of being able to wine and dine them in Vancouver in the future!

 There are no doubts that Chef Jung will achieve that dream and have his own kitchen one day with his hard work and true passion and love of cooking. He knows that without those key pieces he wouldn’t be able to continue as he knows the industry is tough.

For those who have ambitions in applying for the Apprentice of the Year, or other competitions, Chef Jung recommends that you trust what you’re doing and all the time you have spent learning, cooking, and experimenting. In the end you need to believe in yourself.