A Korean-American chef from Los Angeles will compete in a renowned culinary survival show.
Eater LA reported on January 28 that Chef Katianna Hong will appear in ‘Top Chef’ Season 22, the cooking competition show set to premiere on March 13.
According to the report, Hong is the chef and co-partner of Yangban, a fusion Korean restaurant in LA’s Arts District. She co-founded Yangban with her husband, John Hong, who is also a chef.
Born in Korea, Hong was adopted to the U.S. and grew up in Clifton Park, New York. Before discovering her passion for cooking after high school, she was a gymnast throughout her school years. She then pursued formal culinary training at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) Hyde Park and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Hospitality.
Her professional career began at Melisse, a Michelin 2-star restaurant in Santa Monica, where she met her husband. She later joined The Restaurant at Meadowood, a Michelin 3-star establishment in Napa Valley, starting as a line cook before being promoted to chef de cuisine in 2014. This milestone made her the first female chef de cuisine at a Michelin 3-star restaurant in the U.S.
Yangban, originally launched in 2022 as Yangban Society is known for its modern take on Korean cuisine.
Meanwhile, Top Chef Season 22 will be hosted by Kristen Kish, another Korean-American chef. Born in Seoul in 1983, Kish was adopted to the U.S. at just four months old. She won Season 10 of Top Chef, aired from November 2012 to February 2013, and hosted Season 21 last year.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
