South Korea is completely infatuated with cooking. Cooking is not solely an interest of mothers; the male chef currently mesmerizes Koreans. The executive chef of ‘Elbon De Table’, Choi Hyun-suk is the representative man and the dominating figure of cooking culture in Korea at present. He is popular for being handsome and simultaneously having a charming personality. This man, with an exceptional hunger for life, delivered a two-hour lecture on his life and answered students’ questions at Chung-Ang University. The lecture was conducted at the Lecture Hall, which is located at the R&D center on the 3rd floor.

Questions towards the Organization and Chef Choi.

• Q to Staff: What is the motivation of ‘The Youth Asks You’ for providing lectures to young generations?

We endeavor to create an atmosphere of communication in a lecture, where the youth and the prominent figures of the time can be in harmony through having active conversations together. Overall, we intend to encourage the students so that they can receive mental stimulation, which can hopefully be a driving force in achieving dreams.

• Q to Chef: What advice would you give to the students who are at loss of which way to go?

It is understandable that many young people are afraid of pursuing uncertain futures. It is extremely challenging to not follow the majority because you are not sure where and how your life would end up. Yet, I want to tell you that the future is a cone of uncertainty. Even the standard way of living life cannot guarantee comfortable living because nobody knows what you may encounter in the future. So my point is, why don’t you choose to live the life you genuinely dream of? Everything is harsh. Nothing is simple. But, once you decide something, do not hesitate. Look around and think of everything that you can do from the position and the situation you are in. When my peers had spent their time at the library, studying their majors to achieve a high GPA, I had put my effort into cooking, trying to create better tastes inside a kitchen. So, I feel more comfortable to be in the kitchen than being at home. Actually, the kitchen has been my home. I was not a talented cook at the start. My devotion, dedication and affection towards ‘taste’ have made me who I am right now. Too many young students set their goals solely on being employed. ‘You’ should pursue ‘your’ dream, not others' dreams.

Questions towards the Participant

• How did this lecture alter your thought on the meaning of ‘youth’?

First of all, my perception towards being a ‘chef’ has changed. I thought it was a job for those who have gifted talents. But after communicating with Chef Choi, I gained a lot of passion and motivation. I truly want to thank Chef Choi for giving sincere feedback to me and the organization “The Youth Asks You’ for conducting such a meaningful lecture where people could actually engage in the talk. I intend to go home and tell my parents that I have affirmed my ‘own’ dream.

The lecture was organized by the organization called ‘The Youth Asks You’ which is comprised of university students. The lecture was on September 7th, 2015 at Chung-Ang University; this is their 13th lecture and they are consistently putting strenuous effort and passion into creating harmony and to emphasize the value of a golden youth.

저작권자 © 중앙헤럴드 무단전재 및 재배포 금지