Conversations with Wayne Jeong

Today we’d like to introduce you to Wayne Jeong

Hi Wayne, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
After immigrating to the U.S. alone, I had to find something more intuitive to work. And I decided to cook food that I love.
I wasn’t good at English, didn’t know the culture of the United States, and above all, I was young enough to do anything.
I had kitchen experience in Rhode Island, Chicago, and finally got my own kitchen here in LA Koreatown.

Working in the kitchen, I realized I really love food. I’m here through a lot of processes for when my feelings and thoughts are serve together on a plate, not just at the end of my food being delivered to the customer..
I would like to introduce Korean street food to the LA community. Street food should be reasonable, generous, and fast. With this in mind, the current SEOUL MARKET EATERY was born.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
When I first came to the United States and worked in the kitchen, I was not good at English and did not know much about rights. I was just grateful that I could work.
I worked without day off and was paid an unguaranteed wage.
At this time, I often ate McChicken( also these days), I eat McChicken when I have a hard day. It’s kind of my comfort food. My desire to make these foods to people is reflected in my dishes.

I believe in the power of food.
We sometimes think of vacationing at a good resort or expensive fine dining when we need a break. But we need to make triggers that are easier and simpler to make it comfort ourselves. McChicken, a touching movie, a nap after the run.
We are all going through a hard time due to the unfortunate disaster.
As a member of the community, my dream is to make comforting food for everyone.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
There was a process of gaining experience in a few kitchens.
I caught wok at a Chinese restaurant and a knife at a sushi restaurant.
Someone is thinking this is a different category than the food I’m doing now, but all the experiences I’ve had are detailed in my dishes.
Also, we are preparing another kind of restaurant. It will probably be an interesting project and I will invite everyone when it is ready.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I enjoy the cooking tv show and I was a huge fan of Jamie Oliver when I was young. I was impressed the Culinary Class Wars on Netflix these days.
I’m also motivated by listening to the reasons or situations that how people started cooking.
Also, there are many cooking techniques and recipes on YouTube these days, and I don’t forget that I have to research endlessly, I didn’t learn cooking at school, so I know only small parts of cooking.
Now I’m making the comfort food, but I try to do a more scientific and systematic process when it comes to methods.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seoulmarketeatery/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/seoul-market-eatery-los-angeles
• Other: https://maps.app.goo.gl/aEEjXrbat7pvsuo49

Image Credits
Sasha Stavila