Choi Hyun-seok

South Korean chef and television personality

Biography

Choi Hyun-seok is a South Korean chef and television personality, born on July 6, 1972. He became widely known through his appearances on the variety show Please Take Care of My Refrigerator, where his flamboyant stage presence drew attention. His profile links professional cooking with television outreach in contemporary South Korea.

His culinary career began in Seoul at the Italian restaurant La Cucina. He later became head chef at Elbon the Table, which has two branches in Seoul and one in Goyang. He currently runs Choi, a Korean-European fusion restaurant in Seoul, and in 2020 he opened Central Reducer.

In 2024 he took part in the cooking competition Culinary Class Wars, reaching the final eight. In March 2025 he joined the Seoul Gourmet Pop-up on Solbit Island in Banpo, an event hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government to celebrate the city's second consecutive year hosting Asia's 50 Best Restaurants. There he presented signature dishes paired with cocktails made with traditional liquors. Beyond the kitchen, he has published cookbooks and essays on cooking, including Chef Choi's Crazy Recipe.

Key contributions

• Appearances on the variety show Please Take Care of My Refrigerator, which brought him to a wide audience.
• Head chef at Elbon the Table, with branches in Seoul and Goyang.
• Choi, a Korean-European fusion restaurant in Seoul that he currently runs.
• Central Reducer, opened in 2020.
• Participation in Culinary Class Wars (2024), where he reached the final eight.
• Cookbooks such as Chef Choi's Crazy Recipe (2010).