How Much Is Fine Dining Salary... Kwon Seongjun Says "I Wouldn't Become a Chef If Born Again"

"Fine Dining Chefs Earn the Least in the Industry"
"Even Owner Chefs Take Home Only About 100 Million Won After Taxes"

Chef Kwon Seong-jun, who gained attention by winning under the name Napoli Matpia on 'Black and White Chef,' spoke about the harsh working conditions and low pay in the food service industry, saying, "If I were born again, I would never work in anything related to cooking."

On the 13th, appearing on the YouTube channel 'Mimiminu' in a career exploration segment, Chef Kwon said, "Chefs are originally known for low pay, but Western fine dining chefs earn the least among all chefs," adding, "This is based on data from about 6 to 7 years ago, but back then the monthly salary was around 1.5 million won," which surprised many. He continued, "Even by today's standards, there are almost no chefs earning over 3 million won per month," and "Even as an owner chef, the annual post-tax income is about 100 million won, which is practically the highest point."

On the 13th, Chef Kwon, who appeared on the YouTube channel 'Mimiminu' in a career exploration content, said, "Chefs are originally known for low pay, but Western fine dining chefs earn the least among all chefs," adding, "This is based on about 6 to 7 years ago, but at that time, the monthly salary was around 1.5 million won," which surprised many.

Fine dining is a compound word combining 'fine,' meaning good or high quality, and 'dining,' meaning a meal. It is generally used to refer to expensive or high-end meals. Interest in fine dining has increased due to the popularity of the Netflix original 'Black and White Chef: Culinary Class War,' which Chef Kwon won. The evening course menu at 'Mosoo Seoul,' run by Chef Ahn Seong-jae, a judge on the program, is priced at 420,000 won per person. 'Mingles,' which received three Michelin stars this year, charges 280,000 won for lunch and 350,000 won for dinner.

Despite the high prices, Chef Kwon pointed out that chefs' salaries are "the lowest among chefs" because "there are many people who want to do it and many who have done it." In particular, Chef Kwon said that even after winning 'Black and White Chef,' "the store's sales only slightly increased," and "I earned more from broadcasts, events, and advertisements than the 300 million won first prize." He also mentioned that it is difficult to generate high profits while running a restaurant.

Finally, he said, "If I were born again, I would never become a chef," and "I would not do any job related to cooking. To those dreaming of becoming chefs, turn back." However, he encouraged those aspiring to be chefs by saying, "Fine dining chefs are not the only chefs," and "If you have passion and dreams, challenge yourself." He also advised, "You need good meta-cognition," asking, "Can I do fine dining? Do I want to run a business?"