Interview with Chef Kyumin Hahn
Introducing our friend, chef Kyumin Hahn. Born in Canada, raised in California, and currently residing in Copenhagen as the Head Chef and partner of renowned Michelin-starred restaurant Kadeau. Here’s our interview with Kyumin!
You have lived in various regions of the world, counting Canada, California, and Copenhagen - just to name a few. What drives you to travel?
During my childhood I was always in places that were very multicultural, so I was surrounded by people from all over the world, with different backgrounds, religions, and food traditions, so this was the first thing that drove me to explore the world – to discover all the variety of things we can experience and learn from others.
As one of the most talented chefs in Copenhagen, can you share what made you become a chef?
Of course, at first it was my mother who introduced me to the world of food. She cooks incredible Korean food, producing homemade soy sauces and doenjangs, but she can also cook literally any cuisine from any part of the world. She’s my number 1. I was always the kid with the best lunchbox with amazing home-cooked food. Good quality food and ingredients have always been a big importance in our family. My mom never compromised when it came to eating well – even if it meant working overtime to make it happen.
It’s no surprise then that the thing that makes me the happiest is spending time cooking, eating, and enjoying great food and wine with friends and family. Aside from that, I also love to be in nature, learning about plants, growing vegetables, going hunting, and fishing. I soon realised that being a chef means I can incorporate all the things I love into my daily life – it’s a job that doesn’t feel like a job.
Is life as a chef really as hectic as it's presented on The Bear?
Haha… Well, you can certainly find kitchens similar to what you see on The Bear: generally business models which have been poorly thought out with over ambitious and under-qualified chefs who end up creating a hectic, abusive and disorganized work environment. Try to avoid those places! But in some fairness, gastronomy can drive anyone crazy. It’s an obsession, and the industry is full of very passionate people. But it’s not impossible to work hard to create a more friendly, open environment, with great work-life balance, as we have at Kadeau
When you are out of the kitchen, we know that you like to spend your time fishing. Could you tell us about the time you caught your first fish?
Well it’s not my first fish… but one of my best fishing memories would be fly fishing in the North Canadian Atlantic in Labrador on the Eagle River. We would make these large floating flies which we’d tie by hand, usually from the hides of Caribou or Moose that we’d hunted ourselves, skinned and tanned. The ankle fur is the best for these types of flies. Standing in the middle of the Eagle River, casting carefully timed flies, and then hooking into a large elusive wild Atlantic Salmon – that’s what dreams are made of! But back to my first fish...! I think it was actually a sting ray off the pier in Santa Monica!
Rounding off, if you were to give one tip for an aspiring young chef, what would it be?
Take your time and master the basics. It takes years to develop the skills to become a chef, and it takes even more time to mature into someone who can manage and lead a team properly. Study meat and fish butchery, pastry, bread, and learn how to grow vegetables. This will show you the importance of good produce and how to care for them. Your aim is to live and work in harmony with nature. A good mentor will help you to learn all these things. Cherish this person, they will be with you for life! FYI, it’s not always the top listed restaurants or bakeries where you will find this mentor. Once you have mastered these basics, use your skills to travel the world teaching other young, aspiring chefs and continue learning from others. Enjoy the beauty of this cycle