Articles

Browse Judy’s recent articles with internationally renowned publications.

A Warm Hug in a Bowl of Porridge

A Warm Hug in a Bowl of Porridge

Every day after school, my mom would feed me the same thing: juk—Korean rice porridge—with kimchi and Spam. It was my afternoon snack of choice, a simple bowl I often opted for even over a McDonald’s Happy meal.

Read more at The Epoch Times

How to create the perfect picnic

How to create the perfect picnic

Along with a bike ride or a dip in the sea, an alfresco feast in one of the great joys of summer. Three experts share their top tips with Tania Ballantine.

Read more at Waitrose Weekend Online

Simple hacks to improve BBQ skills

Simple hacks to improve BBQ skills and avoid cooking outdoor disasters

Serving burned food, dishing up meat products to vegetarians and being forced to call the fire brigade are among the nation's most frequent BBQ disasters.

Read more at Wales Online

Master the barbecue

Master the barbecue with celebrity chef Judy Joo’s top tips

As Britain comes in as one of the worst barbecuing nations in the world, the co-founder of Seoul Bird offers Sean Russell her expertise on how best to up our grill game.

Read more at the Independent

Judy Joo's Korean-Style Hanger Steak

Judy Joo's Korean-Style Hanger Steak with Scallions & Ginger

"I absolutely love hanger steak, and this marinade kicks the flavor up to the next level," says the celebrity chef and television host. "Even just 15 minutes in the marinade will do the trick!"

Read more from people.com

Memories of Mandu

Memories of Mandu

Growing up in a Korean family, making dumplings was a monthly ritual—with a crispy, golden-brown reward.

Read more at The Epoch Times

Judy Joo on the Women Who Inspire Her

Judy Joo on the Women Who Inspire Her

The Korean American chef, author and television personality tells V.F. London about the women who inspire her.

Read more at Vanity Fair

Judy Joo's Korean mac and cheese

Judy Joo's Korean mac and cheese is a game changer

The Korean-American chef Judy Joo combines her cultural roots and twin passions with these easy-to-make recipes.

Read more from GQ

The C&TH Guide To Korean Culture In London

The C&TH Guide To Korean Culture In London

Korean-American chef Judy Joo – renowned as the host of popular US show Korean Food Made Simple – shares her K-food favourites and exciting upcoming projects…

Read more from Country and Town House

Judy Joo explores Bali

Judy Joo explores all that the city of Ubud, Bali has to offer and brings you her Bali food guide

It's nearly 6am in Ubud, Bali, and I'm standing in a long queue of local women in front of a street cart teeming full of repurposed dented plastic water bottles, each boasting a different magical concoction.

Read more at Foodism

Try These Chef-Approved Dishes In Bali

Try These Chef-Approved Dishes In Bali

When chef Judy Joo agreed to be a speaker at the 2019 Ubud Food Festival, the Cooking Channel host of Korean Food Made Simple had an ulterior motive: it gave her the opportunity to eat her way through Bali.

Read more at forbes.com

A Recipe for Bold Decision-Making

A Recipe for Bold Decision-Making

Judy Joo recalls the day she made the biggest decision of her career. “It was on a weekend,” she says, while prepping her signature Korean chicken soup in her light-filled kitchen in central London.

Read more from the New York Times

Top image: Edmund Lowe / Alamy

Social media

@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageEvery summer, Chesterton Polo at Hurlingham Park is one of those dates I simply refuse to miss. Quintessentially British, utterly glamorous, and honestly — I haven’t the faintest idea about the rules, but who cares? The thundering hooves, the mallet swings, the collective gasp of the crowd… it’s pure electricity, even to a complete polo novice like me.

And the food? Chef’s kiss. The afternoon tea and scones alone are worth the ticket.

Did you know that polo is one of the oldest team sports in the world — first played in Persia over 2,500 years ago as military training for the king’s elite cavalry? Thousands of warriors, one ball. Somehow it evolved into this gorgeous, sun-drenched afternoon with scones. I’d say that’s progress. 🐴

Thank you to the wonderful @polointhepark team for having me — see you on the lawn again next year! 

#polo #london #polointhepark2 days ago via Instagram
@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageToday we’re making bulgogi, the K-BBQ dish that started so many people’s love affair with Korean food. And honestly? Once you make it at home, you’ll never look back. 
Quick fun fact: bulgogi literally translates to “fire meat” — bul (fire) + gogi (meat). Its roots trace all the way back to dish called “maekjeok”, seasoned beef skewers grilled over open flames during the Goguryeo era, more than 2,000 years ago. So when you’re cooking this, you’re cooking history. No wonder it’s such a beloved gateway into Korean cuisine.
Here’s how to make it:
Start with thinly sliced Korean-style bulgogi beef — you can grab it pre-sliced at any Korean grocery store (this is the move, trust me).
For the marinade, throw garlic, ginger, Asian pear, soy sauce, anchovy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, soju, sugar, and a crack of black pepper into a food processor and blitz until silky smooth. The pear is the secret weapon — it tenderizes the meat AND adds a gorgeous natural sweetness. ✨
Pour the marinade into a zip-top bag with the beef, give it a good massage, and let those flavors really sink in.
Heat your griddle or pan until SCREAMING hot, then sear the bulgogi until edges are charred. That caramelization = flavor.
I love serving this the proper, authentic way — with ssam (lettuce wraps), a scoop of warm rice, a smear of ssamjang, loaded with bulgogi, and then topped with pickled radish. Wrap it all up, pop the whole thing in your mouth in one bite (yes, the whole thing!), and thank me later. 

Find this recipe and more in my latest book, K-Quick!
Tag a friend you’d share a bulgogi wrap with! 
Thank you @samsunguk @samsung
Ingredients:  Thank you @koreafoodsuk
GLAM:  Thank you @jonesroadbeauty @justbobbidotcom4 days ago via Instagram
@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageThey said I didn’t look like a chef. I said, “ Watch me feed Madison Square Garden and Citi Field!” 🍗

And with the @nyknicks in the NBA Finals, MSG has never been louder — or better fed. 
There’s something deeply satisfying about 20,000 New Yorkers eating Korean fried chicken while cheering on their team. That’s the Seoul Bird dream, right there.

So honored to be featured in @womanaroundtown, sharing a little of my story — from Columbia engineering grad to Wall Street, to walking away from it all to go to culinary school (my parents were horrified), to cooking at Michelin-starred kitchens, to becoming the first female Iron Chef UK. 

None of it was the plan. All of it was worth it.

Seoul Bird was born from a love of Korean street food — and a belief that it deserved a global stage. From London to New York, we’re just getting started.

And yes — there’s a new book (my 4th!) coming in Nov— “Mukja: Let’s Eat!”
Head to WomanAroundTown.com for the full interview. 
Go Knicks!
#Mukja #NYKnicks #NYCFood #KoreanFood #cheflife1 week ago via Instagram
@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageBack in my K-Quick Kitchen — and today we’re giving McDonald’s fried apple pies the Korean glow-up they deserve.
Apple Pie Mandu (dumplings), yeah baby!

 Dumplings have been showing up in Korean royal cookbooks since at least the 14th century, when they were considered a luxurious dish served during festivals and celebrations. 

Today, “mandu” come in countless shapes — half-moon, round, pleated, pinched — and are stuffed with everything from kimchi and pork to tofu and glass noodles.

So why not stuff them with apple pie filling? The beauty of mandu is the wrapper — that thin, snappy skin crisps up like a DREAM when fried, giving you a shatter-crisp shell that rivals the Golden Arches.

Here’s my K-Quick move:
To save time—Start with pre-made apple pie filling, but pimp it out: a squeeze of lemon, fresh apples, a hit of cinnamon, maybe a splash of bourbon or rum if you’re feeling fancy. Trust me, adding a few fresh ingredients makes all the difference.

Wrap a spoonful inside a dumpling wrapper, seal those edges tight, and fry until golden, blistered, and gorgeous.
Finish with a generous toss in cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm.

Eat them straight up while they’re piping hot, or pile them over a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ULTIMATE sundae moment. There’s truly no wrong answer here.

A true American classic, reimagined the K-Quick way — warm, tart, crispy, sweet, and absolutely made for sharing.

Thank you @samsunguk @samsung
Ingredients:  @koreafoodsuk @seoulplazauk

Glam:  Thank you @jonesroadbeauty @justbobbidotcom1 week ago via Instagram
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