The Chef Behind Living Local Logic

Lee Tak — Culinary Background & Professional Profile

Founder, Living Local Logic | Yangsan, South Korea

My culinary journey began not in a restaurant kitchen, but in the Korean military — where I spent over two years as a cook, preparing daily meals for hundreds of soldiers. It was unglamorous, demanding, and exactly where I learned what it means to cook with discipline and consistency at scale.

After the military, I worked in the kitchen of Samgeori Pocha, a well-known izakaya-style establishment in Hongdae, Seoul — one of Korea's most competitive food and nightlife districts. That experience gave me my first real taste of professional kitchen operations.

Running My Own Kitchens — Three Restaurants, One Obsession

I went on to open and operate three of my own restaurants, each one sharpening a different skill.

My first restaurant was a small Yakitori and Japanese-style izakaya in the backstreets of Sinjeong, Seoul. I handled everything myself — sourcing the chicken, skewering, seasoning, and grilling every stick to order. Alongside the yakitori, I introduced fresh Norwegian salmon to the menu, breaking down whole fish and aging them in-house. My neighbor happened to be a professional Japanese cuisine chef, and our friendship became an informal but deeply formative mentorship. Much of what I know about Japanese culinary technique came from those conversations across the alley.

My second restaurant, in Yangjeong, Busan, evolved into something more focused. Salmon had become the star, and I leaned into it fully. I developed an extensive salmon-only menu that included:

• Aged sashimi in three styles: shiojime (salt-cured), kombujime (kelp-pressed), and gravlax (Scandinavian dry-cure with Korean adaptation)

• Salmon tataki — seared and finished with Japanese-inspired garnishes

• Salmon nigiri and rice bowls

• Salmon jerky — dried and seasoned in-house

• Salmon salad with house-made ricotta cheese and gravlax

• Minced salmon gunkan — made from trim cuts, zero waste

• Salmon croquettes and braised salmon ribs

• Steamed salmon head — a dish that became a quiet favorite among regulars

Every dish was built from a single whole fish, broken down by hand. Nothing was wasted.

My third venture, back in Yangsan, took the salmon work online. I began selling direct-to-consumer through e-commerce and traveled the country participating in pop-up markets and flea markets — selling directly to customers face to face. The bestsellers were ganjang-marinated salmon (yeoneojangi) and marinated shrimp (saeujangi), both made with house-crafted soy-based curing brines. These products connected traditional Korean preservation techniques with premium seafood — a combination that resonated with customers across the country.

I eventually passed that business to a family member and redirected my energy toward a new vision.

Why This Matters Now

Living Local Logic is not a pivot away from food — it is a return to what I have always loved about it: the sourcing, the technique, the story behind the ingredient, and the moment when someone tastes something for the first time and understands it differently.

The professional culinary certification program I am developing brings together local farmers, traditional Korean food specialists, and hands-on kitchen work — the same elements that shaped my own culinary identity. I am not teaching theory. I am sharing a world I have lived in.