Hoyoung Kim

The Climb

Ecole Ferrandi gave Hoyoung Kim the technical base that later showed up in the work: control, clean execution, and attention to detail. From there, the line cook post at Jungsik placed those habits inside the discipline of service, before the move to executive chef at Jungsik in Tribeca, New York City. The progression is straightforward enough, but the value is in the accumulation—technique reinforced through repetition, and a point of view sharpened in a kitchen where precision was part of the daily standard. At JUA, Hoyoung Kim turned that training and leadership into a more personal format. The restaurant carries the rigor of the earlier kitchens, but it also gives room for a more direct voice, one shaped by instinct, memory, and the space to define a dining experience on their own terms.

Today

At JUA, Hoyoung Kim’s cooking sits between restraint and richness. The plates show classical discipline in their clean structure, then push toward deeper, layered flavor through smoke, fermentation, and texture. The work is composed but not stiff; expressive, but not overworked. Ingredient pairing and presentation are handled with clear intent, and the cooking keeps its polish without losing warmth.

Signature

Hoyoung Kim's signature dishes include smoked soy-cured yellowtail, Crispy Octopus and Gochujang Aioli, Sea Urchin Rice, Grilled Branzino, White Kimchi, Wild Sesame Oil, Wagyu Kalbi, Sushi Rice, Kimchi, Edamame, Sesame Leaf, and Mushroom. Taken together, they show a kitchen moving from brightness to depth: seafood with clean edges, rice and kimchi carrying savory weight, and grilled meat grounded by the earthy note of mushroom. The names alone point to the register of the plates—the smoke and salt of the yellowtail, the crackle of octopus, the richness of sea urchin, the char on branzino, and the layered comfort of Wagyu Kalbi.

In Their Words “JUA became my dream come true when I smoked soy-cured yellowtail using wood fire for the first time.”