The moments spent with my classmates. We would rush through classes, constantly kneading dough and standing guard by ovens under intense pressure, but then during the short breaks—maybe an hour or so—we would dash off toward nearby restaurants as if we'd been transported back to our school days. After class, our conversations would flow entirely into bread talk, and we'd even make regular tours of famous bakeries around the city. My body was exhausted, but my spirit had never been more pure and passionate. That memory remains one of my most cherished treasures.
After completing Le Cordon Bleu, my husband and I opened 'Wootwoot' bakery café in my hometown of Ganghwado, a place filled with memories with my father. 'Wootwoot' is an English exclamation meaning "exciting," and we chose it to fill this quiet neighborhood with vibrant energy. We offer freshly made, heartfelt breads alongside the specialty coffee that my husband personally roasts.
I imagined fragrant bread and coffee filling this once-silent place, drawing people together to create a lively space. We hoped that warm sunlight streaming through the windows combined with our carefully crafted bakery items and coffee would provide a warm comfort—gently melting away people's frozen hearts. We want every visitor to experience not just delicious flavors and leisure, but a warming touch to their souls. Our sincere hope is that this space, infused with our couple's passion, becomes a joyful and happy memory for everyone who visits.
How has the French baking techniques and philosophy you learned at Le Cordon Bleu influenced your operation of Wootwoot today?
The words that were hammered into my ears by my chefs was "Stay true to the basics." The one instruction I remember most vividly was, "Handle each loaf of bread as carefully as you would an infant."
That teaching has become the greatest foundation for operating 'Wootwoot'. Rather than chasing flashy visuals, I insist on honest processes—even if they're more time-consuming and require extra effort. My commitment to growing as a café that never settles for mediocrity, continuously studying and improving, is a direct extension of those daily training sessions at school, where we constantly worked to produce better results.
Even now, seven years into running my business, I don't hesitate to learn new things. I'm constantly developing new menu items, learning new techniques, and taking cooking classes that complement our breads—always striving to grow. The foundation I built at Le Cordon Bleu remains the anchor for everything I do.
Was there a moment after opening when you felt "this wasn't what I imagined"?
Anyone who loves baking probably dreams of opening their own café—arriving every morning to the fragrant aroma of fresh bread and greeting customers. I was no exception. But once I actually started the business, I discovered a challenging reality hidden beneath that romantic image: the relentless physical demands I had to endure.
In particular, because I believed so strongly in the power of high-quality ingredients and insisted on using only premium materials, it wasn't easy at first to maintain my principles without compromising on ingredient costs and production efficiency. However, what sustained me through those difficult times was my unwavering belief that the best service comes from the quality of our products. No matter how challenging things became, I would return to basics, standing before the oven each day with renewed determination.
What are Wootwoot's signature menu items, and what aspect do you consider most important in their creation?
Wootwoot's signature menu items are the butter bread (앙버터) and salt bread. The one principle I hold most sacred in bread-making is simple: the honest power of quality ingredients.
For our butter bread, I use a rustic dough that has been slowly fermented at low temperatures for extended periods, creating a crispy exterior with a chewy interior. I fill it generously with red bean paste that I personally cook from Ganghwado beans and rich French Gourmet butter, creating a harmonious taste. The process of cooking Ganghwado beans myself is my personal commitment to capturing the region's flavors.
For our salt bread, I blend whole wheat into the dough for a healthy, savory flavor. I create special salted butter by salt-curing premium French Gourmet butter, which I then incorporate into the bread. The greatest satisfaction comes when our guests appreciate the quality of these carefully sourced ingredients.
If you were to recommend Le Cordon Bleu to junior students interested in baking, what would be your primary reason?
When you enter the professional baking world, you encounter countless variables. What saves us in those moments isn't clever shortcuts or trendy techniques—it's the solid, foundational skills we painstakingly developed standing before the ovens and work tables at school every single day. Le Cordon Bleu isn't simply a place to consume recipes; it cultivates the power to understand the essence: "Why does this ingredient react this way at this temperature?"
Beyond learning world-class, systematic traditional baking techniques, the school also provides something equally valuable—lifelong bonds with classmates who endured the rigorous journey alongside you. That's a precious gift the academy gave me.
Rather than chasing recipes that trend and fade quickly, the academy is the perfect starting point for developing the real skill and confidence to create truly delicious bread with your own hands.
What does the next chapter look like for 'Wootwoot' and for you as a baker?
My husband and I are focusing our next chapter on consistency and depth rather than ambitious growth. While in the early years I concentrated on establishing ourselves, now my greatest goal is to build a brand that exists in harmony with this warm neighborhood of Onsuri in Ganghwado—a brand where we look into the eyes of our neighbors and grow together.
I'm continuing to refine local menus made with Ganghwado's fresh ingredients, and I want to maintain our commitment to sharing through the Gyemyeong Won Children's Welfare Center. We hope to become a vibrant community space—a vital mill for our neighborhood.
Personally as a baker, I want to remain someone who never settles, always growing. Just as I weave the fundamentals I learned at Le Cordon Bleu sincerely into each day's dough, I want to never lose that spirit before the oven—to always offer warm breads and coffee that melt people's hearts. That is the most radiant next chapter I'm creating for 'Wootwoot'.
What does Le Cordon Bleu mean to you?
To me, Le Cordon Bleu is, in one word, a seed.
In the midst of my ordinary life, when I was lost and wandering, the school planted a firm seed within me—one that allowed me to nurture passion for bread and dream of something greater. At that time, I had no way of knowing how large that seed would grow or what flowers it would bloom into. But carrying the fundamental classical techniques and teachings from my chefs as nourishment, when I returned to my hometown of Ganghwado with my husband and carefully watered that seed, it bloomed into the warm space that is 'Wootwoot' today.
Even now, Le Cordon Bleu is not a memory of the past for me, but a lifetime seed that helps me remember my original spirit each morning before the oven, allowing me to plant my roots deeper and grow stronger.
