CJ CheilJedang launches Cuisine.K project

South Korea's largest food company CJ CheilJedang Corp., announced on Tuesday the launch of "Cuisine.K," a project aimed at discovering and nurturing young Korean chefs to boost the global expansion of K-food.

The project will sponsor national teams in international cooking competitions and run Korean pop-up restaurants while covering tuition, travel and lodging expenses for homegrown chefs to study at renowned cooking schools abroad.

CJ CheilJedang also plans to promote the establishment of Korean education programs in foreign cooking schools and conduct food research and practical classes in collaboration with top Korean chefs. The company has established a dedicated organization within its food growth promotion office and increased its workforce to optimize project execution.

This initiative builds on the company's previous efforts to globalize K-food through processed food brands such as "Bibigo." CJ CheilJedang now aims to develop a K-food globalization 2.0 strategy by cultivating Korean chefs with international competitiveness and integrating K-food into global lifestyles.

Previously, CJ Group Chairman Lee Jae-hyun expressed his desire for people worldwide to enjoy Korean food regularly, with the hope that supported chefs will become pioneers in spreading Korean food culture globally. The Cuisine.K project was proposed by Lee Seon-ho, head of CJ CheilJedang's food growth promotion office, son of chairman Lee Jay-hyun

Initially, the company will sponsor teams competing in the "2023 Korea International Cooking and Confectionery Competition" this month. In the first half of the year, the company will select aspiring young chefs through competition and provide them with pop-up restaurant opportunities.

CJ CheilJedang will also dedicate space in its innovation hub, INNO Play, for the development, cooking and sale of Korean menus for three months. Additionally, the program for domestic and international young chefs will offer two-month classes and practice sessions at Korean restaurants listed in the Michelin Guide.

In the long term, CJ CheilJedang plans to establish an "International Korean Culinary School" where people from around the world can learn Korean food culture.

"It's a dream for the future, but we plan to develop it into a Korean culinary school where people from all over the world can learn about Korean food culture, just like Le Cordon Bleu in France," Lee Seon-ho said. 

Write to Ji-Yoon Yang at yang@hankyung.com