i. Biography
His cooking at Muoki is built on innovative cuisine, with Tomatoes Seven Ways making that method legible. Introduced in 2019, the signature takes a familiar tomato and works it across texture, temperature, and concentration, turning an everyday ingredient into a composed, technical plate. The dish shows James Park working with restraint, but not simplicity for its own sake: the effect is controlled, exacting, and deliberately polished.
The Climb
A French restaurant was the first disciplined setting in James Park’s career, placing him inside classic kitchen routines and the pace of professional service. The work then moved into a food lab at restaurant on Jeju Island in Jeju Island, South Korea, where the brief points toward experimentation and development rather than fixed repertoire. From there, the path continued through Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., United States, The Fat Duck in London, United Kingdom, Quay in Sydney, Australia, and The Test Kitchen in Cape Town, South Africa. That sequence reads as a working education across formats and pressures: hotel service, experimental development, and some of the most closely watched fine-dining kitchens in circulation. In 2017, Muoki became the place where those references converged, with James Park installed as executive chef and given the task of translating accumulated technique into a clear kitchen identity.
Today
At Muoki, the cooking under James Park is organized around control and clarity rather than excess. Composition carries the weight of the plate, and a dish is allowed to feel complete without being crowded. Since 2017, his work as executive chef has been about applying that discipline consistently, turning experience gathered across different kitchens into a menu language that stays focused on the ingredient and the construction around it.
Signature
James's signature dishes include Tomatoes Seven Ways. Introduced in 2019, the dish distills his approach at Muoki into a single plate: innovative cuisine built through careful recomposition rather than ornament. Centering tomato instead of a more obviously luxurious ingredient keeps the focus on structure and handling, and it is that choice that gives the dish its particular edge.
Recognition
James's honors include Michelin star. The recognition matches the level of control in the cooking, and it sits alongside a career that moved through French restaurant at French restaurant, the food lab on Jeju Island, and the major dining rooms that informed his approach at Muoki.
Profile updated August 2026
FAQ
Asked of James
What is James Park's current role?
As of 2026, James Park is Executive Chef.
Where did James Park work before?
James Park's earlier career included French restaurant, restaurant on Jeju Island, and Hilton Hotel.
What recognition has James Park received?
Michelin star (2019).
