We meet Sukwon Yong at his restaurant, Perception, which opened nearly two years ago in the 9th arrondissement – in the trendy SoPi (South Pigalle) area of Paris at the foot of the Butte Montmartre. He’s just finished lunchtime service, but a large table of Korean diners lingers over coffee. The long, narrow dining space, which leads to the open kitchen, seats 35 diners. The dark walls are lined with deep orange velvet banquettes, and the space has a cosy feel.
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Who is Sukwon Yong?
"I was born in Seoul, then went to the United States before arriving in France. I trained at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Los Angeles, then came to Paris where I studied at the Ferrandi, the culinary arts school, and joined the kitchens of Ze Kitchen Galerie. William Ledeuil, my mentor, has now become a friend. I learnt a lot working alongside him for over four years: first, the language, because when I arrived I didn't speak a word of French; and of course his techniques too, in particular for making stocks. In 2017, I joined Maison Rostang as Chef de Partie. I then became Chef at Signature, then at Le Bistrot Flaubert. That's where Barnabé – my associate – and I met. We opened Perception in 2021."
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Where Korean and French Gastronomy Meet
"In France, and particularly in Paris, the K-food trend is really taking off. It’s essentially Korean street food: dishes with lots of rice, vegetables cut into chunks and a tiny amount of meat. Sure, it's all the rage, but true Korean gastronomy is all about sharing. A dish comes with many elements, including condiments, broths and rice; these are called banchan, accompaniments that are served in small bowls placed in the middle of the table. There are numerous different kinds – kimchi (fermented cabbage) is one – and generally at least four or five are served with the main dishes. These days I cook fusion cuisine. You could say that I offer French cuisine with a Korean touch. In the evening, I cook my own version of bibimbap, using ingredients sourced in France such as fresh herbs, mustard and radishes. I question the rules... for the lunch menu I might make green cabbage stuffed with kimchi, spinach and shiitake, served with a sweetcorn velouté."
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Plans Aplenty
"I'd like to be the first Korean chef to be awarded a Star in The MICHELIN Guide for Perception in Paris," says the bashful chef. "I'm working hard on it. Barnabé and I are thinking of opening a second restaurant, a bistro serving truly Korean cuisine – and then maybe a Korean grocery shop. There isn't much on offer in France, often only one section in Asian supermarkets, unlike in the United States. We would sell products that are hard to come by in France today, such as gochujang (Korean fermented chilli paste) and good-quality sesame oil. We recently started working with Korea Store, which imports top-of-the-range products from Korea." Watch this space!
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Hero Image: Virginie Garnier/Perception
