Chris Jung

Coming Up

The line from classroom to line cook is clear in Chris Jung’s resume: University of Pittsburgh, then BlackSalt in Washington, D.C. Each step added another set of repetitions and another standard for pace, timing, and plate discipline. In 2019–2019, Chris was an international chef participant, Japanese Cuisine & Dietary Culture Human Resource Development Program at Japanese Cuisine & Dietary Culture Human Resource Development Program in Japan, a stint that expanded his frame while leaving the work grounded in technique. Momotaro followed, first as Sous Chef and then as Head Chef, where the demands of the kitchen called for precision, stamina, and the ability to keep the line moving without losing control of the details. The route to Maxwells Trading was built by accumulation rather than revelation. Chris Jung describes the work in plain terms: “There was no aha moment about when I knew I was going to be a chef.” That absence of a single turning point reads less like hesitation than the way many kitchens actually make people—through hours, repetition, and the slow pull of a trade that rewards consistency.

Where They Are Now

At Maxwells Trading in Chicago, Executive Chef Chris Jung is cooking a menu that leans on contrast and clarity rather than flourish. Soup dumpling tortellini with ground pork, prosciutto, maitake mushrooms, black vinegar, ginger, and chives sits beside Claypot Rice and Whipped Ricotta With Griddle Bread. The range tells you how he works: layered but not crowded, familiar forms sharpened by specific detail, and enough restraint to let each component do its job. The physical side of the craft is central to how Chris Jung talks about it: “I was addicted to cooking. I was addicted to using my hands.” That language keeps the focus where it belongs, on the act of making and the repetition that builds instinct. He also names the pull between place and plate directly: “For myself, I'm always looking for like a creative approach to dishes that kind of reflect the way I grew up in the East Coast here in Chicago.” The food at Maxwells Trading sits in that space between geographies, using one city’s professional discipline to shape another’s memory.

Signature

Chris's signature dishes include Claypot Rice and Whipped Ricotta With Griddle Bread. One is built around warmth and heft; the other turns on lightness and restraint. Taken together, they show a cook working with comfort, texture, and balance rather than chasing excess. At Maxwells Trading, those dishes fit a broader vocabulary that values directness and clean execution.

In Their Words “There was no aha moment about when I knew I was going to be a chef.” “I was addicted to cooking. I was addicted to using my hands.”

Recognition

Chris Jung has received James Beard Foundation Best Chef: Great Lakes finalist (2025).