'You Don't Choose What You Fall in Love With'

Executive chef Youjin Jung on leading the kitchen at NYC's Babbo

Photo courtesy of Babbo

It’s a new era at New York’s Babbo with chef Youjin Jung at the helm. Originally from South Korea, she’s been executive chef of the restaurant since August.

Why cook in an Italian restaurant? “You don’t choose what you fall in love with,” she says. Beautiful ingredients, slow cooking, and the “happiness and beauty” that define Italian cuisine for her draw her in. “I’m following my heart,” she says of working at Babbo.

Before Babbo, Jung had been a sous chef at Boulud Sud as well as Hortus in Manhattan, DB Bistro and Oyster Bar as well as Osteria Mozza, both in Singapore.