Judy Joo is one of the four Iron Chefs for the UK and the former executive chef for The Playboy Club London. In 2014, she opened Jinjuu, a high-end restaurant that specializes in Korean-inspired food.
Judy’s love for food and cooking began at home, where she often watched her mother cook authentic Korean dishes. Growing up in a bi-cultural environment and having a worldly lifestyle allows her draw from her unique personal experiences, melding Asian, American and European cuisines together.
She graduated from Columbia University, where in addition to earning a Bachelor of Science in engineering, she explored New York’s diverse culinary offerings. For several years she embarked on a career on the trading floor, but decided to pursue her true passion by enrolling at ICC, where she graduated at the top of her class.
She went on to work in Saveur magazine’s test kitchen, developing recipes and researching food traditions. Judy also started Slow Food USA’s first inner-city Slow Food in Schools program and Harvest Time in Harlem, teaching students about food, cooking and making better food choices.
Serendipitously, when Judy dined at Gordon Ramsay, the notorious chef was there and Judy boldly introduced herself. She was hired to work in his kitchen, a job that lasted for more than two years. She has also worked at Maze, The French Laundry and The Fat Duck.
Judy has appeared regularly on UK Food Channel’s Market Kitchen as a guest chef, and she was also one of the four Iron Chefs chosen to participate in the UK version of Iron Chef. Judy has appeared on several Food Network shows including The Best Thing I Ever Made and The Next Iron Chef.
Judy Joo graduated from the International Culinary Center (ICC), founded as The French Culinary Institute (FCI). In 2020, ICE and ICC came together on one strong and dynamic national platform at ICE's campuses in New York City and Los Angeles. ICC’s culinary education legacy lives on at ICE, where you can explore your own future in food.
