The First 'Korea Master Craftsman' in Culinary Field Born in Gwangju, the 'Land of Taste'

Ahn Yuseong, CEO of Gamae, Receives Highest Honor as Skilled Technician from Ministry of Labor... Recognized for Fermentation Technology

Actively Shares and Volunteers for Underprivileged Groups... Dedicated to Career Guidance in Culinary Skills an

The nation’s first master chef in the culinary field, officially recognized by the government, has emerged in Gwangju, known as the "Land of Taste."

The protagonist is An Yuseong (53), CEO of Gamae, who has dedicated 32 years to the art of sushi.

CEO An was selected as a master chef by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Human Resources Development Service of Korea in recognition of his contributions to the research and popularization of traditional Korean fermentation techniques using local specialties.

To date, a total of 696 master chefs have been selected by the government. This year, 98 individuals were chosen, including 16 master chefs, 77 outstanding skilled technicians, and 5 skilled technology instructors. The certificate ceremony will be held on the 5th at The Plaza Hotel in Seoul.

In Korea, Gwangju is renowned as a city of taste, style, and beauty. However, no master chef has ever been produced in the culinary field from Gwangju. This is because the government-certified master chef selection process involves strict criteria and rigorous procedures, making the competition fierce.

The industry warmly welcomes CEO An’s master chef news. His spirit of challenge, passion, and diligence?demonstrated through over 30 years dedicated solely to sushi, including experience at luxury hotels and sushi specialty restaurants, studying in Japan, earning a doctoral degree, and filing patents?are widely recognized.

In fact, whenever President Yoon Suk-yeol, as well as former Presidents Moon Jae-in, Roh Moo-hyun, and Kim Dae-jung, along with popular celebrities, visited Gwangju, they stopped by CEO An’s sushi restaurant.

CEO An’s life resembles that of Shota Sekiguchi, the protagonist of Daisuke Terasawa’s 1990s culinary manga "Mr. Sushi King," which led the golden age of cooking comics. Sekiguchi challenged sushi at age 16, following his father’s footsteps, overcoming numerous setbacks and hardships to become the best craftsman.

CEO An also inherited his mother’s legacy, who ran a Korean restaurant and beef bone soup house in Naju, Jeollanam-do, for 50 years. He learned his meticulous and exacting mother’s cooking skills by watching her closely and has carried on and developed them.

In 2002, he opened a small shop in a shabby alley market in Gwangju with a loan. For over 20 years, he has focused on his restaurant without taking a day off. His children, who were in elementary school and kindergarten at the time, grew up to become a teacher and a researcher, inspired by their father’s sincere dedication to cooking.

This is the background behind the birth of the sushi restaurant "Gamae," meaning "Beautiful Plum Blossom." He also opened Gwangjuok, specializing in Pyongyang cold noodles, Jangsu Naju beef bone soup, and Like & Brunch Cafe in collaboration with young entrepreneurs, which are gaining attention as new landmarks in Gwangju.

He has also actively engaged in sharing and volunteering for marginalized groups. Over the past 10 years, he has volunteered 392 hours for people with disabilities and the underprivileged. He has devoted efforts to free sushi tasting events, cooking skill guidance, and career counseling.

His interest and affection for cooking remain ongoing. He holds two patents, including a method for making kimchi vinegar using water kimchi, and 13 design registrations. He has published various books on the aesthetics of high-end Korean cuisine, contributing to the development of food culture.

His culinary philosophy incorporates humanistic elements. It resembles a stubborn determination to serve guests only artistic dishes deeply imbued with the scents of nature, environment, and the southern region of Korea.

As part of talent sharing, he plans to establish a culinary entrepreneurship academy for prospective entrepreneurs including youth, middle-aged, and housewives, to share his experience and know-how.

On the 15th of next month, the 1st National Sushi King Competition will be held at the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center, with a total prize of 10 million won.

CEO An said, “I have worked hard to interpret and upgrade sushi, which originated in Japan, into a Korean style, and I believe this has been recognized. Going forward, I will develop new dishes and recipes using local specialties and nurture talented juniors.”

He added, “Due to weakened consumer sentiment and the aftermath of Japan’s contaminated water discharge, there is a growing sense of crisis in alley markets such as sashimi restaurants. While sharing the experience and know-how I have gained over more than 30 years in the food service industry, I also plan to devote myself to revitalizing the local economy and discovering win-win models.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.