Unfiltered: A Candid Table With Chef Son Jong-Won And Chef Masashi Horiuchi

When two culinary minds from Michelin-starred kitchens sit down together, you uncover quirks, guilty pleasures, and a shared love for food that transcends fine dining.

We had the rare opportunity to bring together Chef Son Jong-Won—of one-Michelin-starred L’Amant Secret and Eatanic Garden in Seoul, South Korea—with Chef Masashi Horiuchi of Potager KL. While their kitchens are known for refinement and exacting standards, what unfolded in this edition of Unfiltered was anything but rehearsed.

In a candid, lighthearted exchange, the two chefs spoke about the small joys that fuel their creativity, their go-to hacks that keep service smooth, and the street food staples they can’t resist when they’re off the clock. It’s a reminder that even the most exacting chefs find inspiration in simple, everyday flavours—and that behind the accolades, they’re still just people who love to eat, laugh, and share a meal.

Favourite kitchen tool

Chef Son swears by one simple item: a roll of bright green tape. It’s his secret weapon for keeping the kitchen organised—labelling everything from raw ingredients to finished plates. “I don’t really need it to remember what’s what,” he admits, “but having the tape calms me down when service gets hectic.”

Midnight guilty pleasure

Even Michelin-level chefs aren’t immune to late-night cravings. For Chef Son, weekends mean raiding the nearest 24-hour convenience store and carting away 10 to 20 bags of potato chips. “I don’t finish them all,” he laughs. “I just taste a few, then stash the rest for later.”

Weirdest food combo

Cup noodles are meant to be quick and easy, but Chef Son can’t resist giving them a professional twist. His go-to hack? Spicy Korean instant noodles loaded with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime. “It changes everything,” he says.

Favourite Malaysian street food

“Definitely Bak Kut Teh,” says Chef Son without hesitation. First brewed in Klang in the 1930s as a dockworker’s breakfast, this herbal pork rib soup has grown into Malaysia’s most iconic comfort dish—rich, soulful, and steeped in heritage.

Best Japanese restaurant

For Chef Horiuchi, the best Japanese food isn’t found in any restaurant. “It’s at home, in my own kitchen—when my wife is the chef for a change,” he shares warmly. “She makes the most authentic Japanese dishes.” Proof that sometimes, nothing beats the comfort of a home-cooked meal.

Catch more quirks and confessions in our Unfiltered interview below.

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All photos are courtesy of Potager KL

Potager KL