By James Tabafunda
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
For Chefs Judy Joo and Kristen Kish, food is more than a requirement for life. It is a bridge among generations, locations, and cultures. As Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month continues, her new cookbook, K-Quick: Korean Food in 30 Minutes or Less, arrives as both a celebration of her heritage and a practical guide for busy home cooks eager to bring Korean flavors to their tables.
From Wall Street to the world’s kitchens
Courtesy of Quarto
Judy Joo’s journey is an example of reinvention. She was born in Summit, New Jersey, where her upbringing reflected both her American surroundings and Korean heritage. Her father, Dr. Eui Don Joo, fled North Korea during the Korean War and later became a psychiatrist in the United States. Her mother, Young Nim Park, moved from Incheon, South Korea to earn a master’s degree in chemistry. Education was valued in the Joo family, leading Judy to attend Kent Place School before earning a degree in industrial engineering from Columbia University.
She began her career on Wall Street, working at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. But the call of the culinary industry proved stronger than the allure of finance. Joo enrolled at the French Culinary Institute in New York, graduating at the top of her class in pastry arts. Her culinary path took her through the test kitchens of Saveur magazine and into the heart of London’s fine dining scene, where she worked in Gordon Ramsay’s acclaimed restaurants and at The Fat Duck, Nahm in Bangkok, and The French Laundry in California.
Carrying forward Korean traditions
Despite her international culinary background, Joo’s approach is rooted in the Korean traditions she learned at home. Customs like taking off shoes at the door, bowing to elders, and sharing food are non-negotiable in her household.
“Taking off shoes is a must,” Joo says. “Especially in New York City, which is dirty as hell. It’s unsanitary to bring in all the crap you’re walking on outside into your home. It’s a tradition in Asia, but I think it should be used everywhere.”
Respect for elders is woven into daily life.
“Growing up in a Korean household, you always bow to your elders. The deeper the bow, the more respect you’re showing. When bowing to ancestors at graves, you go all the way down, forehead to the ground,” she said.
Language, too, is layered with meaning, Joo said about her struggles with speaking Korean.
“It’s really complicated. My mom told me I should only speak Korean to small children and small animals.”
From South Korea to Kentwood, Michigan
Kristen Kish, born in Seoul, South Korea, and adopted at 4 months old by a Michigan family, has also risen to become a celebrated chef in American cuisine.
Kish recalls her introduction to Korean food as a child, when her mother sought to connect her with her roots through local cultural festivals.
“My mom would always want to introduce me to Korean culture in the best ways that she knew how,” Kish said on the She’s My Cherry Pie Nov. 23, 2024 podcast. “They would have local festivals, Polish festival, German fest, all these things. And so they had this all-encompassing Asian fest. The Korean culture was in this Asian fest, and I was pretty dang happy about it. My mom saw an opportunity, and so she brought me, and I remember tasting several different kinds of kimchi.”
In celebrating AAPI Heritage Month, Kish’s story highlights the value of tradition in Korean food. It’s not just about taste, but about the lasting significance of tradition in Korean culture, a value at the heart of her heritage.
The heart of kimjang
No Korean tradition is more central to Joo’s culinary identity than kimjang, the communal making of kimchi.
“Kimjang is basically a big kimchi-making party,” she said about the Korean custom. “It’s usually done in November during the harvest season, when all the cabbages have been pulled from the ground. In the old days, the whole town would come together to make enough kimchi for the entire year.”
While the tradition is fading as more families buy kimchi at their local grocery stores, Joo’s relatives still gather each fall to make it for their extended family. She’s led kimjang events worldwide, from London to Los Angeles, bringing people together to chop, season, and ferment cabbage while sharing stories and laughter.
“Kimchi is like blue cheese or goat cheese—some people love it, some don’t,” Joo says. “It’s funky, strong, pungent, in your face. But it’s a superfood, full of lactobacillus and good gut-healing bacteria. If you can crack your gut health, you’ve unlocked the secret to healthy living and wellness.”
The rituals of the Korean table
Joo’s reverence for Korean customs extends to the dining table. Meals are communal, with dishes placed in the center and shared.
“It’s common to offer food to others before serving yourself. I think this is just basic manners. Everybody should do that,” she said.
Pouring drinks is also a ritual of respect.
“You pour with two hands if they’re older than you, and if someone’s pouring for you, you use both hands. There’s a whole choreography to it.”
Making Korean food accessible: “K-Quick”
Joo’s new cookbook, K-Quick: Korean Food in 30 Minutes or Less, converts these traditions into a format that fits modern life. Released May 6, the 208-page hardcover from White Lion Publishing is designed for anyone who wants to skip spending hours in the kitchen and enjoy Korean food.
The concept wasn’t hers initially.
“At first, I thought, ‘Do I really want to do this? It’s so commercial,’” Joo said. “But then I realized it’s a way to make Korean food approachable, welcoming, and to take away any nervousness people might have about trying it.”
Courtesy of Quarto
Every recipe can be made in 30 minutes or less, from The Crispiest Korean Fried Chicken Bites to Spicy Gochujang Salmon, Silken Tofu Banchan, Folded Kimbap, Kimchi-fried Rice, and Truly Royal Tteokbokki. There’s even a Banoffee Misugaru & Soy Caramel Tart, a nod to Joo’s international influences.
“Traditional Korean cooking involves longer marinating, but who has the time?” Joo asked. “If I’m in a rush, I’ll marinate for 15 or 20 minutes and go straight to the pan. Whatever you do is fine.”
Ingredient quality still matters. “Try to find a good, pure soy sauce, 100% roasted sesame oil, fresh garlic, and ginger. But it’s also about what your taste buds like. Make it the way you want. Love ginger? Add more. Like it spicy? Go for it.”
A cookbook for every cook
“K-Quick” is more than a collection of recipes. It serves as a toolkit for home cooks. Each dish comes with clear, time-specific instructions and practical shortcuts, many inspired by Joo’s own upbringing and professional experience. The book is perfect for:
- Anyone curious about Korean food but short on time
- Busy families and professionals seeking quick, healthy, flavorful meals
- Fans of Joo’s previous books and TV shows
- Home cooks wanting to expand their global repertoire
“Growing up, there were always so many amazing time-saving tips and tricks we used in the kitchen,” Joo says. “I’ve loved applying these, along with contemporary techniques, to create quick versions of all the dishes and recipes I love to make.”
AAPI heritage, global inspiration
Joo’s influence extends far beyond the kitchen. She’s a prolific writer for major publications, a food advocate serving on the Food Council for City Harvest in New York and London, and a mentor for the next generation of chefs. Her restaurants—Jinjuu in London and Seoul Bird in London, Las Vegas, and New York—have helped introduce Korean flavors to diners across the globe.
She splits her time between New York, Asia, and London, always looking for new ways to share the comfort and excitement of Korean food. Her approachable style, both in her restaurants and her writing, invites everyone to the table.
The legacy of sharing
For Judy Joo, food is about connection—among people, cultures, and generations of family members. Her new cookbook is an invitation to experience the joy of Korean cooking, no matter how busy life gets.
“Food is meant to be shared,” Joo says. “It’s about comfort, joy, and the stories we tell around the table. With K-Quick, anyone can bring a taste of Korea home, in 30 minutes or less.”
The call for pan-Asian solidarity
She says unity is essential for Asian communities seeking greater recognition.
“We’re not that powerful on our own,” she said. “We have to come together with the Chinese. We all have to work together in order to have the mass so that people pay attention to us.” As AAPI Heritage Month spotlights the diversity within AAPI communities, Joo’s message emphasizes the importance of solidarity across ethnic lines to amplify their collective voice.
For more information on Judy Joo’s “K-Quick: Korean Food in 30 Minutes or Less,” go to https://quarto.com/books/9780711297586/k-quick.
From Chef Judy Joo’s K-Quick: Korean Food in 30 Minutes or Less,
The Best Beef Bulgogi
Courtesy of Quarto
Prep time: 15 minutes
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 pound bulgogi beef (Korean-style, very thinly sliced meat) or sirloin steak (or other prime cut of beef), trimmed
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 small Asian pear, Conference or Bosc pear, peeled and cored
- 2 teaspoons grated garlic
- 1-inch piece ginger, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sake or pure soju
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce or anchovy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons mirim
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- Freshly ground black pepper
For serving:
- 5 chives, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds
- Sides (steamed rice, kimchi) of your choice
Directions:
- If using steaks, put in the freezer for about 2 hours until partially frozen. Remove from the freezer and use a sharp knife to cut the meat into slices about 1/4-inch thick.
- In a food processor, combine the soy sauce, pear, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, sugar, sake, fish sauce or anchovy sauce, mirim, and a little pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Place the beef in a resealable plastic freezer bag (preferably reusable). Pour the marinade into the freezer bag with the meat and add the onion. Close the bag tightly and gently massage the marinade into the meat.
- Heat a griddle pan or frying pan over high heat. Alternatively, heat a charcoal grill and place a specialty bulgogi griddle pan over it.
- Once hot, cook the bulgogi in batches with the marinade, flipping often, until desired doneness is reached, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and place on a serving platter. Pour any juices from the pan over the meat.
- Garnish with chopped chives and sesame seeds.
- Serve with rice and kimchi, or whatever you like!