Chef Jung Ji-sun. [Herald Muse]
Chef Jung Ji-sun. [Herald Muse]

Chef Jung Ji-sun, who opened a large restaurant in Taiwan, has spoken candidly about the challenges of running it after a wave of staff resignations.

Jung shared an update on his restaurant in Taipei, Taiwan, on Sunday's episode of the KBS2 variety program "Boss Has Donkey Ears."

The restaurant, which had been open for about two months at the time of filming, occupies an entire two-story building on a main road and spans 462 square meters. The show depicted a strong local reception, with every seat sold out throughout the first two months of operation.

When co-host Jeon Hyun-moo expressed concern about operating costs — remarking that the rent must be no small sum — Jung revealed an unexpected worry.

"Ten Taiwanese employees quit within a month and a half," Jung said. "It is incredibly hard to find people. If someone tries the job and it does not suit them, they leave right away."

Jung, who earned the nickname "demon boss" in South Korea for exacting standards, has ultimately adopted a far gentler approach to managing local staff.

"I do not say anything here," Jung said. "These are people trying to understand my cooking, so I teach them with patience. Because they might run away." The remark drew laughter from the studio.

Local staff spoke warmly of Jung. "Whenever a problem came up at work, I asked the chef," one employee said. "He handles everything with such passion. I love working for him."

Jung, a star chef in the Chinese cuisine scene, rose to wider fame through the Netflix show "Culinary Class Wars." He went on to appear on several variety programs, building a wide following, and opened his first overseas store in Taipei in August.


betterj@heraldcorp.com