Meet

Esu Lee

TasteBreaker

The chef behind JIP & Orson, turning Korean home cooking into fine dining

A man with long dark hair and a black jacket stands in front of shelves of vinyl records.

Q&A

For Esu Lee, the chef behind JIP and Orson, cooking is a way of learning how to be himself, like a tree with many small branches reaching in different directions. Korean home cooking, French technique and open fire all meet on the plate, each dish lifted by a touch of acidity that adds another layer, in a city he wants to feel more connected to, one view at a time.

A person with long dark hair and tattooed arms pours steaming liquid from a ladle into a bowl.

Semaine: What’s important to you right now?

E.L: Learning how to be myself.

Semaine: If you were an object, what would you be and why?

E.L: A tree with lots of little branches, reaching in different directions. That’s how I feel.

Two chefs work behind a stainless steel counter in a dimly lit restaurant kitchen.

Semaine: Describe your taste in one word.

E.L: Acidity. It adds another layer.

Semaine: Where would you like to be right now, and why?

E.L: Paris, I want to feel more connected to the city with different views.

Semaine: Draw a 1 min self-portrait.

E.L:

Gallery

A bald chef in a blue scarf looks into a small bowl, while a tattooed person in an apron holds a bottle and gestures towards it.

A hand holds a skewer with a deep orange, spiraled snack.

Two men in long coats holding a red Michelin 2026 award plaque.

A hand grips a dark object over a red plaid placemat, with a red and yellow bell pepper to the left.

A hand holds a nutmeg over a patterned placemat with other nutmegs and a bell pepper nearby.

Overhead view of a person wearing glasses drawing with a pen on white paper, with drinks on the table.

A desk with a laptop on a stand, a vase of yellow tulips, and other items, by a window showing trees and buildings.

Travel

People wait to enter a Korean restaurant with a large sign, a blue awning, and menu pictures on the wall.

What to order: Gomtang — Korean Beef Soup "An old-school gomtang restaurant. The first place I visit whenever I’m back in Korea. It’s like my own little totem, the spinning top from Inception. A place that makes me feel I’ve truly arrived back in Korea."

Aeseong Hoegwan (애성회관)

Seoul, South Korea

23 Namdaemun-ro 5-gil, Jung District, Seoul, South Korea

A plate of steamed dumplings with dipping sauce and soup.

What to order: Kongguksu — Soybean Noodles & Mandu — Korean Dumplings "Rich, creamy soybean broth, noodles and dumplings. Having lunch surrounded by busy office workers in Yeouido feels strangely romantic to me. Maybe because it’s a life I’ve never lived."

Jinjujip (진주집)

Seoul, South Korea

South Korea, Seoul, Yeongdeungpo District, Gukjegeumyung-ro 6-gil, 33 지하 1층

A bright cafe in a traditional wooden building, featuring a large tree growing through a central open-air courtyard.

What to order: Samgyetang — Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup "A place I’ve been coming to for years. Whenever I’m feeling exhausted or running low on energy, this is where I go to feel alive again."

Tosokchon (토속촌)

Seoul, South Korea

5 Jahamun-ro 5-gil, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea

Facade of a brick Korean restaurant called 'Bugeogukjip' (Dried Pollock Soup House), established in 1968.

What to order: Bugeokuk — Dried Pollack Soup "Such a clean, refreshing broth. Probably the best hangover cure I know."

Mugyodong Bugeokukjip (무교동 북어국집)

Seoul, South Korea

38 Eulji-ro 1-gil, Jung District, Seoul, South Korea

Front view of a bustling Korean restaurant called "Anju Maeul," with a rustic wooden sign and people dining inside.

What to order: Any Seafood "My Favourite Seafood Spot. Love the atmosphere, the incredibly fresh ingredients, and everything about this place. A place very close to my heart."

Anju Maeul (안주마을)

Seoul, South Korea

3 Jahamun-ro 1-gil, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea

A person in a pink shirt and orange apron carries a tray with three bowls of noodle soup topped with seaweed and green onions.

What to order: Kalguksu — Korean Knife-Cut Noodle Soup "They cut the noodles by hand as the orders come in. A little earthenware jar filled with kimchi is placed on the table without much fuss. Somehow, this place connects the past with the present."

Chanyangjip (찬양집)

Seoul, South Korea

5 Donhwamun-ro 11da-gil, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea

"My Favourite Fine-Dining Restaurant in Korea. Every visit brings a new kind of surprise, always in the best possible way. I never leave without feeling inspired."

Onjium (온지음)

Seoul, South Korea

South Korea, Seoul, Jongno District, Hyoja-ro, 49 4층

Bustling Korean street at night, with many people dining and drinking at outdoor tables and stools.

What to order: Beer! "My Favourite Beer Spot. Vibe, vibe, vibe. Nothing beats this place in summer. Cold beer, outside on the street. That’s all you need"

Manseon Hof (만선호프)

Seoul, South Korea

19 Eulji-ro 13-gil, Jung District, Seoul, South Korea

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Esu Lee

The chef behind JIP & Orson, turning Korean home cooking into fine dining

Q&A

Gallery