Congratulations to Joseph Rhee of Two MICHELIN Star Jean-Georges, the 2024 MICHELIN Guide New York Young Chef Award Winner!
With a dad who farmed and a mom who cooked, Rhee felt destined to become a chef. After attending culinary school at Johnson & Wales, he quickly found his way to Jean-Georges, where he has been for more than a decade. As Chef de Cuisine, he has had a strong, positive impact on one of the city’s most iconic restaurants, serving delicious food with a broad spectrum of ingredients and flavors.
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What inspired you to become a chef?
I've always loved to eat. I was definitely a chunky kid. Food was always at the table. My parents were great cooks, and they still are. My father is a farmer. He used to bring produce home. My mom would cook using his produce. That was definitely a huge part of why I became a chef. Throughout my childhood, I just enjoyed cooking, watching the Food Network. My food back then was absolutely horrendous, but that inspired me to pursue this.
What was your journey like to get into the industry?
I applied to Johnson & Wales, which is a culinary school in Providence, Rhode Island. I did the Associate program for two years. I couldn't stand school, so I went to Daniel for a quick externship for three to four months. I did day stages at Eleven Madison Park and Le Bernardin.Fate and destiny brought me to Jean-Georges. I fell in love with the food when I staged there for an interview. It's balanced, it's harmonious, it’s delicious. Loved the people, loved the culture, loved the mentorship that I witnessed. Even as an outsider just coming in for a day, it was definitely the home that I wanted to be in.
What motivates you in the kitchen?
Trying to be better every day, and especially with food because it's so tangible. You see a mistake, you see a flaw. You can make it better every day. As a team, when you see growth happening, even if it's baby steps, that keeps me going. And obviously the creative aspect of creating dishes that people love.How do you motivate your team?
Leading by example. Service is busy. It's very demanding, but we go through it together. So I try to be as hands on as possible. I try to coach as best as we can. And same thing with the sous chefs. And my mentors: Chef Jean-Georges, Chef Greg Brainin, Chef Mark Lapico. All have instilled that skill in me. So I try to throw myself out there for the cooks and really go through the fire with them.
What do you eat for breakfast?
I'm not a big breakfast guy. I drink a cup of water if I'm going for a run in the morning. Drink a protein shake and then go straight to work. Lunch is a piece of salmon, some vegetables from the market. Dinner is the same thing, protein and some vegetables.How do you wind down at the end of a shift?
A lot of Negronis. Negroni is our company's drink of choice. And sometimes we do team outings, just so we can all decompress together. Or sometimes I go for a night run to ease my way into the evening.Favorite food-related show, book, program, etc?
I love cookbooks. The recent one was Noma 2.0, which I've heavily been inspired by. I’m not being biased, but all of the Jean-Georges books are amazing. Home Cooking with Jean-Georges – it’s easy, doable, and very approachable for any home cooks or professionals.
What is your favorite dish on the menu?
Right now, the tuna sashimi. It gets served on top of a kohlrabi salad, and it gets dressed with a soba-cha (buckwheat tea) ponzu.Do you have any sustainable initiatives?
Jean-Georges is huge on this. Locality for us is very important. We religiously go to the farmers' market on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, or whenever Union Square is open. We purchase heavily from our farmers. All our produce is non-GMO. Instead of middlemen, we're purchasing fish directly from the boat to limit our carbon footprint. We try to apply that with everything that we order at the restaurant.The way I experienced food growing up (my father's farm to the skillful hands of my mother who created delicious/nutritious meals to the dining table) also parallels the ethos at Jean-Georges of supporting farmers, sourcing locally/sustainably/seasonally, honoring and highlighting the season's offerings, and ultimately respecting all ingredients by cooking with love and proper technique.
What advice would you give to a young person who wants to become a chef?
Put your head down and work hard for the first couple of years. This generation feels like they want to be successful really quickly. Time is very important, devoting yourself to the craft, devoting yourself to the monotony, which, in the end, will turn into a great skill set and a weapon for you. It might take long. It might be repetitive, but again, put your head down. Work hard, have grit, and be self-motivated.Another is taste, taste, TASTE! Expose yourself to all cuisines and travel. Build your palate and stay hungry!
Hero image: Jean-Georges Restaurant / Joe Rhee
