Yoonjung Oh: Young And Upcoming Pastry Chef by Tish Boyle

Yoonjung Oh is a young and upcoming pastry chef with experience working at two-star Michelin restaurants such as Jônt and Bresca, among others. Born and raised in South Korea, she emigrated to the U.S. 12 years ago and completed her education at the Culinary Institute of America. She has gained experience working at several fine-dining restaurants starting at Aquavit, and she currently works as Executive Pastry Chef at Hive Hospitality. She believes that communication and respect are important skills to have in the kitchen when working with international chefs.

I introduced you as the Executive Pastry Chef at Hive Hospitality and that position entails being in charge of the desserts at not one, but two, Michelin-starred restaurants, Jônt and Bresca. Jônt has two Michelin stars and Bresca has one star, which is obviously amazing, but before we get into your current job, let’s discuss your background a little bit. First of all, where are you from and how did you first get into pastry?

I was born in Korea and came to America 12 years ago. I’ve always had a passion for pastry as a hobby in Korea, and I just love visiting cake shops and watching videos of beautiful cakes. My parents suggested I visit America because my brother was living in New York. The experience living in a different country gave me the chance to start anew, drawing something from a blank page. That’s when I discovered the Culinary Institute of America in New York, and was captivated by their curriculum. That’s how my journey into pastry began.  The more I learned in school, the deeper my interest and passion grew.

What was your first job you got after that program and how did you get it?

I started working at Aquavit in New York as an intern during school, and returned after graduating to learn more about cooking and baking. It was my first job in fine dining, so everything was new and challenging. I was also learning about different cultures because all the chefs were Swedish. It was a great chance for me to learn about balancing savory ingredients in pastry, which they love using. It was a valuable lesson to create desserts that blend sweet and savory flavors.

What a great opportunity to work at Aquavit as a first job out of CIA. What would be an example of a dessert at Aquavit (a two-star Michelin Restaurant) that had savory flavors in it?

It was a long time ago, but I recall using Sunchoke, fermentation and pickling methods with fennel and rye.

Tell us about your next job at Jungsik. It was also a two-star Michelin restaurant. What were some of the desserts that you put on the Jungsik menu?

I spent six years at Jungsik, starting as a pastry cook and eventually becoming the Executive Pastry Chef. It was a rewarding experience where I could share Korean culture by using unique Korean ingredients unfamiliar to Americans. One example was the walnut cake which is a popular Korean winter street snack. Sharing my culture through dessert was a very fun experience for me.

You kept getting hired at Michelin star restaurants, as they do not simply take anybody – how did you deal with the pressure in the kitchen to maintain those very high standards?

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but I tried to stay positive every day and do my best. I don’t think about tomorrow or next week. I keep telling myself I am not here to be unhappy or overly stressed; I am here to be happy and learn. I simply try to remind myself so that I can enjoy it.

You are currently the Executive Pastry Chef for Hive Hospitality, where you oversee the pastry programs at both Jônt and Bresca, tell me about the cuisine at each restaurant, both savory and desserts?

Hive Hospitality owns Jônt and Bresca in DC, and Moss and Ômo in Florida. I travel to Florida whenever we change the dessert menu, which is seasonal. It’s more often than four times a year.

Tell us about the cuisine at each restaurant and what some of the most popular menu items are.

Jônt’s main dessert contains grilled ice cream with chocolate crumble, and inside the charcoal shape is grilled cream, chocolate caramel, pecan praline, chocolate cake, all dipped in chocolate. Jônt is French with a Japanese influence, but I try to use Korean ingredients. Among our savory dishes, the Doc Fish has been popular for a while.

What about Bresca, and do you work with Ryan Ratino there? He won the Michelin Guide’s Young Chef Award in 2023.

Bresca is American but has French influence. It is in the same building as Jônt so we share the kitchen. Bresca also uses many Japanese and Asian ingredients. I met Ryan two years ago at an event and we became friends. That’s why I moved to D.C. and started this job. We work as friends and I am learning a lot from him. I am inspired by his passion and leadership, and his respect for me as a pastry chef.

You probably have tasting menus at each of these restaurants, what are some of the desserts you have on the tasting menu? At Jônt for example, do you have flights of desserts?

We usually serve seasonal fruit progression which are small bites. We are currently serving a peach progression, which is a tart-like cookie, and peach entremets with sorbet. We are also serving the charcoal dessert and minuaries, and the petit-four boxes with seven different petit fours for Jônt.

Are you doing a flight of desserts for a tasting menu at Bresca?

Bresca has an a la carte menu during the week and a tasting menu on weekends. Bresca offers a popcorn, milkweed and strawberry vanilla cloud cake, with entremets with uber sorbet. We also do a chocolate tree with coffee ice cream.

What are your favorite ingredients to work with and how do you use them?

It depends on the season and what I am craving. I like to use roasted soybean powder. I love the burnt, grilled smell and the flavor, so I use that a lot in my desserts.

What is the most important thing you do that makes you good at your job? Is it simply your talent or is it your organization or how you relate to and train your staff?

Communication, respect and willingness to learn from other people, even from other departments such as savory and front of house. There is always something to learn from everyone.

Can you give us some kitchen tips, either specific or general, something that will improve your life in the kitchen, what are yours?

Skills can be taught, but attitude and a willingness to learn are paramount. Maintaining a positive attitude and showing gratitude for each day can transform your experience in the kitchen. I know every day cannot be perfect and sometimes your day will be full of mistakes and nothing will go as planned, but we are not here to be unhappy and overly stressed every day. Try to show attitude and willingness and follow your passion. That will change your pastry career.

How do you escape from being sucked into your job 24/7?

I try not to think of work, except at the entrance of the restaurant. As an Executive Pastry Chef my job is to think about work at home and on my day off, but if I don’t have to, I don’t think or talk about work with friends. I love swimming and do it daily. I walk a lot and go to the movies. Being a coffee lover I explore many coffee shops.

What was your most important skill or asset when you first started as a pastry chef, and what is your most important skill today? Was it your attitude or was there something you were good at in pastry, whether that be making cakes or piping?

I usually follow the directions exactly, even down to one gram when scaling something. People think one gram is not a big deal, and choose to use three grams instead. I follow the directions exactly, and when I don’t, it feels weird.

What is your favorite Korean dessert, and do you ever put your own version on the menu?

I love the walnut cake, but I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite. My favorite Korean dessert would not work at Jônt or Bresca, but would suit a casual restaurant. It’s called a croffle which is a combination between a croissant and a waffle. They bake croissant batter in a waffle machine and serve it with ice cream and shaved brown cheese. I had it at a coffee shop in Korea last year and it was so good that I had it twice a week.

(This article appeared in the Fall 2024 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)