Son Jong-won
Son Jong-won is a South Korean chef known for leading L'Amant Secret and Eatanic Garden, two one-Michelin-starred restaurants in Seoul. He is a regular chef cast on Please Take Care of My Refrigerator and participated as a White Spoon competitor on Culinary Class Wars Season 2.
Early life and education
Son Jong-won was born in 1984 and spent part of his youth studying in the United States. He attended All Saints' Day School before enrolling at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana to study civil engineering. During his fourth year of engineering studies, Son's interests shifted toward culinary arts after coming across students of the Culinary Institute of America in New York City wearing chef's uniforms.Culinary career
After deciding to pursue a culinary career, Son gained early professional experience working at several Michelin-starred restaurants, including Benu, Quince, and Coi in the United States, as well as Noma in Denmark. In 2018, he returned to South Korea and became the head chef of L'Amant Secret in Seoul, which received its first Michelin star in 2021 under his leadership. He later became the head chef of Eatanic Garden, which has also been awarded one Michelin star.In November 2023, Son was named one of the New Talents of the Year 2024 by the La Liste culinary guide at an awards ceremony in Paris, making him the only Korean chef to win the title that year.
Son has served as a mentor and judge in international culinary initiatives such as the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition, where he worked with and guided younger chefs in regional finals.
He has collaborated with Michelin-recognized restaurants overseas, including Seroja in Singapore and Belon in Hong Kong, hosting gala dinners featuring Korean cuisine and ingredients.
Son has spoken on the importance of Korean ingredients and culinary heritage in global food trends, including at events such as, "Taste of Hansik, Taste of Korea," organized by the Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Korean Food Promotion Institution.
Under Son's leadership, Eatanic Garden debuted on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list at #25 and received the Highest New Entry Award in 2025.