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Son Jong-won

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Son Jong-won
Son in December 2025
Born (1984-03-19) March 19, 1984 (age 42)[1]
Seoul, South Korea[2]
Culinary career
Cooking style
Current restaurants
Korean name
Hangul
손종원
RRSon Jongwon
MRSon Chongwŏn

Son Jong-won (Korean: 손종원; born March 19, 1984) is a South Korean chef known for leading L'Amant Secret and Eatanic Garden, two one-Michelin-starred restaurants in Seoul. He is a regular chef cast on Please Take Care of My Refrigerator and participated as a White Spoon competitor on Culinary Class Wars Season 2.

Early life and education

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Son Jong-won was born in 1984 and spent part of his youth studying in the United States. He attended All Saints' Day School before enrolling at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana to study civil engineering. During his fourth year of engineering studies, Son's interests shifted toward culinary arts after coming across students of the Culinary Institute of America in New York City wearing chef's uniforms.[3][4]

Culinary career

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After deciding to pursue a culinary career, Son gained early professional experience working at several Michelin-starred restaurants, including Benu, Quince, and Coi in the United States, as well as Noma in Denmark. In 2018, he returned to South Korea and became the head chef of L'Amant Secret in Seoul, which received its first Michelin star in 2021 under his leadership. He later became the head chef of Eatanic Garden, which has also been awarded one Michelin star.[5]

In November 2023, Son was named one of the New Talents of the Year 2024 by the La Liste culinary guide at an awards ceremony in Paris, making him the only Korean chef to win the title that year.[6]

Son speaking at the "Taste of Hansik, Taste of Korea" event

Son has served as a mentor and judge in international culinary initiatives such as the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition, where he worked with and guided younger chefs in regional finals.[7] He has collaborated with Michelin-recognized restaurants overseas, including Seroja in Singapore and Belon in Hong Kong, hosting gala dinners featuring Korean cuisine and ingredients.[8] Son has spoken on the importance of Korean ingredients and culinary heritage in global food trends, including at events such as, "Taste of Hansik, Taste of Korea," organized by the Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Korean Food Promotion Institution.[9]

Under Son's leadership, Eatanic Garden debuted on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list at #25 and received the Highest New Entry Award in 2025.[10] In April 2026, Son served as the executive chef for a state dinner hosted by President Lee Jae-myung for French President Emmanuel Macron at Blue House's Sangchunjae. He presented a six-course menu blending Korean ingredients with French techniques.[11]

Endorsements

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Son for LG in 2021

In 2022, Son was selected as an ambassador for the Swiss watch brand Blancpain.[12] In 2025, he was selected as one of the ambassadors for Johnnie Walker Blue Label alongside Zo In-sung, Honey J, and Johnny.[13] He was also selected as a model for Nespresso Professional.[14] In November 2025, Son partnered with Emart24 to launch the 'Family Meal' line, a series of high-quality convenience store ready-meals. Due to the project's success, which contributed to a fourfold increase in the retailer's chef-collaboration sales, a second line titled 'Day Off' was released in April 2026.[15][16]

In March 2026, Son was selected as the first partner of the brand partnership program "Mercedes-Benz Mate" by Mercedes-Benz Korea.[17] He was also selected as a collaborative partner to develop a limited-edition summer menu alongside Culinary Director Jim Frisch for Shake Shack's 10th anniversary in Korea. Son announced that all personal proceeds from the partnership would be donated to charity.[18] In April 2026, Son was selected as the brand campaign model for Yorien, a natural-filtration water purifier brand by Samik Pharmaceutical, for the launch of their premium "Chablis" product line.[19]

Filmography

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Television shows

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2016 Cook Representative Chef Team USA [20]
2021 Vegetable Earth [21]
2025–present Please Take Care of My Refrigerator [22]
2025 Culinary Class Wars S2 White Spoon Top 8 [23]

References

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  1. ↑ ""한국 온 트럼프 주니어의 유일한 만찬"...한식 재해석한 미쉐린 스타의 식당". 매일경제 (in Korean). July 17, 2025. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
  2. ↑ Kang, Aa-Young (April 27, 2025). "Chef Son Jong-won's Seoul is Creative, Refined, and Inspiring". MICHELIN Guide. Archived from the original on June 20, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  3. ↑ "장원영 입맛 사로잡은 '쌍별' 셰프...알고보니 "하루 16시간 일했다"". 매일경제 (in Korean). February 22, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  4. ↑ "한식의 재해석 … 트럼프 주니어도 다녀갔죠". 매일경제 (in Korean). July 17, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  5. ↑ Lee, Julia (March 2, 2021). "L'Amant Secret Chef Son Jong-won Presents The Landscape Of Modern Korea On A Plate". MICHELIN Guide. Archived from the original on December 30, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Chef Son Jong-won named one of New Talents of Year 2024 by culinary guide La Liste". Korea JoongAng Daily. November 22, 2023. Archived from the original on November 14, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  7. ↑ "‘냉장고를 부탁해’ 손종원-최현석과 싱가포르 대표 한리광 셰프의 공통점은?". bntnews (in Korean). May 30, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  8. ↑ "'라 리스트'에 국내 최초로 이름 올린 손종원 셰프". Vogue korea (in Korean). November 22, 2023. Archived from the original on November 9, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  9. ↑ Gyu-lee, Lee (March 25, 2025). "Michelin-starred chef highlights Korean ingredients as future global trend". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on April 2, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Four Seoul restaurants named in 2025 Asia's 50 Best list, including debut of Eatanic Garden". Korea JoongAng Daily. March 26, 2025. Archived from the original on April 18, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  11. ↑ "'한식과 프렌치의 만남'…손종원, 이대통령·마크롱 만찬서 빛난 6코스 '역대급 한식'". EPN엔피나우 (in Korean). April 3, 2026. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
  12. ↑ "'냉부해' 제2전성기 불러온 셰프 손종원과 김풍, 시계와 안경 정보". GQ korea (in Korean). November 22, 2025. Archived from the original on November 24, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  13. ↑ 손, 봉석 (August 21, 2025). "조니워커 블루, 배우 조인성, NCT 쟈니, 댄서 허니제이, 손종원 셰프 등 앰버서더와 함께 신규 캠페인 '치얼스 투 마이 석세스' 스타트". 스포츠경향 (in Korean). Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  14. ↑ "커피와 함께하는 스타 셰프의 하루…네스프레소 프로페셔널, 손종원 셰프 필름 공개". 리얼푸드 REALFOODS (in Korean). December 4, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  15. ↑ Jaehyun, Park (November 26, 2025). "Experience Chef Jongwon Son's Touch for Just 5,000 Won... "Impressive from the First Bite" [Tried and Tested]". 아시아경제. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
  16. ↑ "편의점의 진화… 스타 셰프 레시피 담은 '프리미엄 미식' 도시락 열풍". 매일경제 (in Korean). April 2, 2026. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
  17. ↑ Hye-jin, Byun (March 13, 2026). "Mercedes-Benz Korea partners with chef Son Jong-won in brand campaign". The Korea Herald. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
  18. ↑ 기자, 김연하 (March 31, 2026). "쉐이크쉑, 손종원 셰프와 한국 진출 10주년 기념 컬래버레이션". 서울경제 (in Korean). Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  19. ↑ ""요리에 품격을 더하다"…요리엔, 손종원과 자연여과 정수기 '샤블리' 띄운다". 쿠키뉴스 (in Korean). April 30, 2026. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  20. ↑ "'쿡가대표' 최현석, 러브콜 보낸 손종원 셰프와 극찬한 매튜 셰프에게 한국 팀 저력 보여주나 '강자에게 강한 승부사'". 스포츠Q(큐) (in Korean). June 29, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  21. ↑ "[EBS 채소가지구] 박은영·송종원·김정호 셰프의 친환경 채식 요리대결 파일럿". 한국강사신문 (in Korean). November 10, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  22. ↑ 이, 상민 (October 29, 2025). "김풍, '냉부해'서 손종원과 예측 불가 요리 실력 선보여". 중앙이코노미뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  23. ↑ Byung-yeul, Baek (December 15, 2025). "'Culinary Class Wars' Season 2 returns with fiercer lineup". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on December 24, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
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