In 2019, a tiny, six-seat restaurant in a one-bedroom Brunswick apartment swiftly became one of Melbourne’s most sought-after dining experiences. With its degustation menu of traditionally prepared Korean cuisine and its uniquely cosy surrounds, CHAE soon had a string of awards and a waitlist of more than 8,000 people. Four years on, the business may have relocated – chef Jung Eun Chae and her partner, restaurant manager Yoora Yoon, moved to the Victorian town of Cockatoo in 2022, where they now run CHAE from their house in the mountains – but its guiding principles remain the same: to make guests feel at home as they experience the dynamism of Korean cuisine and culture. In this interview with Griffith Review Editor Carody Culver, Chae shares her story of culinary connection.

CARODY CULVER: Where did you grow up in South Korea, and what are your most enduring memories of the food you ate when you were a child?