Atomix, Kurly’s Kim Sla and others gather — the organization set to nurture ‘20 K-food leaders’

Nanro Foundation, the hansik research organization, is stepping up efforts to cultivate global talent for Korean cuisine.

On October 30, Nanro held the launch of NANRO NEXT — a scholarship program for future hansik leaders.

The event, held at Dresden Green in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul, drew about 30 leaders from across industries — including Chef Choi Jung-yoon (chair of Nanro), Park Jung-eun (president of Nanro USA and head of Atomix), Min Jin Lee (author of the novel Pachinko), Kim Sla (CEO of Kurly), Park Hee-eun (partner at Altos Ventures), and Yong Tae-soon (CEO of Catch Table).

The evening included a briefing on the NANRO NEXT program, the introduction of the first fellow, and a networking session.

Nanro plans to select 20 fellows across Korea and the United States over the coming year. Selected fellows will receive a year of structured education and mentoring — spanning research into traditional hansik and K-food, restaurant management, branding, marketing, design and overseas internships — along with opportunities for mutual exchange between the two countries. The first fellow introduced at the event was Chef Lee Ha-sung, an alumnus of Atomix — the New York Korean restaurant that took the North American No. 1 spot on the W50B list this September — and of the Michelin three-star The French Laundry. “The remaining fellows will be announced in stages,” an organizer said.

Experts from across the industry are supporting NANRO NEXT.

Kim Ah-rin, CEO of Be My Guest, chairs the advisory committee, joined by Chef Kim Hee-eun of the hansik restaurant SOUL and Chef Jung Ji-sun of the Chinese restaurant Tian Mimi. The committee oversees program planning, fellow recommendations and selection.

The board of advisors includes Chef Cho Hee-sook of Hansik Gonggan — widely regarded as the “grande dame of hansik” — Ven. Jeong Kwan, the master of sachal (temple) cuisine, Lee Sang-hoon, head of TPG Korea, and NICA (NANRO International Chef Advisors) members: Chef Park Jung-hyun of Atomix, Chef Virgilio Martínez of Peru’s Central (W50B No. 1 in 2023) and Chef Oriol Castro of Spain’s Disfrutar (W50B No. 1 in 2024).

“Through NANRO NEXT, we hope emerging talents in Korea and around the world will share their sensibilities and knowledge and expand the new possibilities of hansik together,” said Kim Ah-rin. “Nanro USA in particular will be a platform for hansik to engage with the world in a sustained, long-term way.”

Nanro Foundation is a non-profit dedicated to nurturing and supporting the next generation of hansik talent, launched in 2023. Led by Chef Choi Jung-yoon of Sempio — the Korea chair of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants (W50B) — it now includes more than 400 professionals from F&B, IT, media, finance and research. Its activities include the global hansik conference NANRO INSIGHT and the research and education program NANRO Academy.