by Yumi Cho
For how long have you been cooking and baking?
As a kid, I grew up watching several cooking shows on PBS such as Yan Can Cook, Julia Child and Jacques Torres’ Dessert Circus. These shows inspired me to start baking when I was in middle school. I recall trying some simple recipes like banana bread, chocolate chip cookies and cheesecake for my parents and my sister. The cheesecake was terrible, in my opinion, but nevertheless my parents appreciated the fruits of my labor! I dabbled with cooking a bit later in life — since cooking generally involves a fair amount of chopping, my parents asked me to stay away from it as a kid. They were mainly worried that I could potentially slice off part of a finger which could terminate my chances of becoming a violinist. Dramatic, I know, but it is the truth. I became more serious about cooking during college and post-college — I especially have fond memories of cooking Korean food and having potluck dinner parties with friends.
This past year was a time for a lot of us to delve into other hobbies, learn a new craft or perfect a long lost hobby. For you, cooking and baking became more than just a hobby, but rather a passion. What was your life like this past year as an amateur baker?
So it all started last March 2020 when I had planned to have a huge party for my son’s 1st birthday. Then, COVID-19 happened. Even though we couldn’t have our guests over, I still wanted to go ahead with my plans to prepare Korean traditional dishes, desserts, etc. for the celebration. Preparing for his birthday morphed into an intense study of the art and science of cooking and baking. What inspired me the most was the TV show “The Great British Bake-Off.” It really opened up my eyes to the world of baking and I just became more and more intrigued. The funny thing is, if you know me, you know that I prefer savory over sweet, so to discover this passion for baking almost didn’t seem to make sense. I now have a newfound appreciation for desserts.
Do you find any similarities between cooking/baking and performing as a classical musician?
Most definitely. Cooking/baking and classical music have quite a symbiotic relationship, believe it or not. Through baking, I’ve learned a lot about myself such as the negatives and positives of how I apply myself in music. I’ve learned to accept certain aspects of my personality which have helped to navigate my tendencies as a violinist.
Can you give us an example?
Sure! Even though I can be a super strict and structured person, I also love to procrastinate. I am always prepared to do my best on stage or in the kitchen, but as we all know, anything can happen in the moment. I thrive on the extra push I give myself during a performance or when I am preparing a bake or cook. When I am in the moment, that’s when the beauty happens. For me, it’s the unpredictability of the performance in both accounts that creates the art. I try to keep a flexible mindset and learn how to make favorable last minute decisions as needed.
Recently, you received some exciting news about a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be featured on The Food Network! Could you tell us more about that?
Yes! Generally speaking, I believe that your talents are recognized when you least expect it. That’s exactly what I felt happened in this case. I received a message from a casting agency notifying me that I could be a great candidate for a Julia Child show featuring home chefs on The Food Network. At first I thought it was a scam, but after doing my research and realizing that this was the real deal, I was ecstatic. One thing led to another and I had a successful phone call with casting which then led to an interview with one of the producers of the show. The interview went really well and I’m currently waiting to hear back. Honestly, I am just so appreciative of the recognition so either way I’ll be happy with the outcome.
Thank you, Jisun, it was a pleasure to learn about your cooking and baking escapades this past year! Any final thoughts before we wrap up?
We’ve all heard this many times, but I truly believe that it’s so important to stay true to yourself, enjoy and stay in the moment and most of all, love what you do. Passion is strong and infectious and it can really take you to places that you may least expect.