Lee Myung Ae becomes first defector ‘Master Chef’

“As soon as I found out I was selected to be a ‘Master Chef’ I burst into tears. For the whole journey, I was trying hard to stay strong. However, it was on that day in 2016 when I once again received gold in the South Korean culinary competition along with a ‘Master Chef’ title, that I realized I was finally experiencing a ‘human’ life. If it wasn’t for living in South Korea, I would have never dreamed of such things happening.”

Ms. Lee poses for shot with her Certified Master Chef certification. Image: Daily NK

These were the words of Lee Myung Ae who was nominated as a North Korean traditional food “Master Chef” by the World Food Culture Center (WFCC) and the Korea Food Coordinator Association (KFCC) on May 26, 2016. Lee came to South Korea in 2011, and initially focused solely on adapting to her new life for survival. Lee is now the owner of Yangban Restaurant, which specializes in a variant of sundae [Korean blood sausage] stuffed with sticky rice. With the idea of combining her yearning for reunification together with her talent in food, she chose to focus on traditional Korean food research.


Lee became the first North Korean defector to win a gold medal at the Korean Food Expo hosted by the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) in the 2012 Daejeon competition. She then went on to win multiple gold medals in 2013, 2014, and 2016 in the traditional food competition category. Despite being acknowledged as a leading expert in the field, she has not yet thought of taking a break, and from last year has put even more effort into receiving a “Master Chef” title. Lee notes that it was no easy task competing against chefs with years of experience, some of whom even held PhD degrees.

“At one point in my life, I simply thought of making money for myself with the restaurant that I owned. But I decided to give the ‘Master Chef’ title one last shot,” Lee said. “Life is not all about money. I believe it is my duty as a North Korean defector to continuously explore what is common between South and North Korean food and ultimately bring the two countries closer together”.

“Last December, I acquired the ‘Jinmiga Food Dosirak’ business. I’m endeavoring to promote North Korean sausages and Mount Kumgang dosirak (lunch box) in the South Korean market. I hope to send a message to other North Korean defector restaurant owners to never give up and continue to compete in world food competitions,” she added.

[Following is the complete interview with Chef Lee]

Q: It has been a year and a half since you opened the Yangban Restaurant. It seems that a lot has happened since then, so please tell us about it.

A: That was in November of 2014, so it’s been almost a year and half. But it feels like ten years have passed in that short amount of time. I didn’t sleep so well when I was researching traditional food for the annual competition and never had the chance to go out and see the flowers in spring or the autumn leaves in the fall. All of my spare time was focused on researching traditional food, and I was constantly thinking about how to incorporate North Korean traditional food ingredients and techniques to their fullest potential in a dish that would excel in the competition.    

Sweat and tears never lie. In the 2016 competition, our main dish was North Korean quail. We also added pine nuts, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds to promote nutrition and for decorative purposes. We fried it with the quail and some of the other competitors even said it was the best tasting dish. After receiving the gold medal, I realized there are no boundaries when it comes to food. The world food competition brings together flavors from across the culinary spectrum.

I am now working as an instructor for cooking classes hosted by Hanawon, which is supported by the South Korean Ministry of Unification. Whenever I have the chance to talk to students about traditional food and Korean food, I tell them that they will achieve success if they work hard.

Q:  You were recently selected as a “Master Chef,” how does that feel?

A: I think it is better to say that I am more honored than I am happy. I think it is a milestone for a North Korean defector to be selected as a “Master Chef,” as only a few are nominated each year. My first attempt was made three years ago and was not successful. I thought to myself that a North Korean defector could never become a “Master Chef,” and wanted to give up. But I thought about my hometown, which encouraged me a lot. Money was not the end goal, and I felt I had a mission while living in South Korea. When I received the call informing me that I was selected as a “Master Chef,” as judged by 90 food experts, I could not utter a single word and cried like a child.

That was the moment when I really felt thankful for life in South Korea. In October, I’ll be receiving the official garments that are only given to “Master Chefs.” By North Korean standards, these are like the uniforms that only generals wear. These days I’m thinking of my mom, who taught me the basics of cooking. I’ll cry on that day thinking of her – she’s buried back home.
Q: You recently took over a “dosirak” (lunchbox) business. Has it been difficult managing your new company?

A: Last December, I was able to acquire the “Jinmiga Food Dosirak” business. To be honest, I was a little wary of having to compete against the other dosirak businesses that are already out there. Our budget is also tight and there are a lot of dosirak businesses clustered in the Yeongdeung-po District. When we realized we needed to compete and differentiate ourselves by taste, we began to change our side dishes. For example, we tried marinating food using the North Korean technique, which involves squeezing cucumbers out with a stone to make them crunchier. The feedback from our customers is the best guide on whether we’re getting it right or not. We receive feedback from our customers when the food tastes different.

We have also been receiving calls from public organizations for new catering jobs these past few months. Seoul National University also placed a catering order. Our monthly revenue is between 25-30 million KRW. After paying for the best ingredients and writing checks to employees, sometimes there’s nothing left. Nevertheless, I’m proud that we didn’t need to get a business loan to get where we are. I will not stop here either – I am now studying at the Seoul Hoseo Community College and learning more about food nutrition.

Q: Lastly, do you have any advice for you fellow North Korean defectors?

A: There is no such thing as being lucky. It’s all about working hard. If you think that you don’t even have a chance to succeed as a North Korean defector in South Korea, you’ll certainly fail. Continue on the journey of self-cultivation, and never cease to learn and dream about the future. Keep searching for something that you can excel at.