Lee Joo-young (25), an influencer and the granddaughter of Daelim Group honorary chairman Lee Joon-yong, posted photos with chef Son Jong-won (41) and showed an unexpected connection.
On January 7, Lee shared several photos on Instagram with the caption, “Itanic is the best—it tastes the best.”
In the photos, Lee is wearing a dress with bold patterns and embroidery. Chef Son is standing close to her and looking at her warmly.
She also posted pictures from a visit to Chef Son’s French restaurant, L’Amant Secret, along with actress Lee Min-jung and TV personality Ahn Hyun-mo.
Who is Chef Son Jong-won?
Chef Son leads Itanic Garden, a Korean restaurant located inside Josun Palace Seoul Gangnam.
He is also the head chef at L’Amant Secret, a French restaurant at the L’Escape Hotel. Both restaurants have received one Michelin star. According to the article, Chef Son is the only chef in Korea to earn Michelin recognition in both Korean and Western cuisine.
Why people are talking about this post
The article says Lee’s Instagram post went up right after episode 11 of Black and White Chef Season 2 aired the day before. Chef Son was eliminated after receiving comments that it was a “paper-thin difference,” so her post is seen as a message of support.
Background on Lee Joo-young
Lee Joo-young is part of the fourth generation of the DL Group family (ranked 19th among Korea’s major business groups, according to the article). Her father is Lee Hae-chang, CEO of Chemtech, and he is the younger brother of DL Group chairman Lee Hae-wook.
The article also mentions that in 2019, Sisa Journal ranked her 4th in a survey about stock holdings owned by minors under 19.
