[Edaily Reporter KIM AH-REUM ] “I believe more than half of a dish is created in the kitchen. Ultimately, it’s the chef’s skill that determines the flavor, but the degree of focus and the quality of the finished dish depend on how naturally the processes of retrieving, preparing, and cooking the ingredients flow together. The more you use the kitchen every day, the more you notice even small differences, such as workflow and counter heights.”

Chef Lee Yeon-bok made these remarks in an interview with Edaily ahead of the “HANSSEM CO.,LTD. x MasterChef” event held on the 3rd at the “Chef Lee Yeon-bok Kitchen Studio” in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul.

He explained, “Since chefs use their kitchens frequently and for long periods, they place as much importance on how comfortable it is to actually cook as they do on how it looks,” adding, “Small differences—from the height of the countertop to the placement of frequently used tools and the flow of movement—can add up to make a huge difference when cooking. Ultimately, I believe a good kitchen is one that is well-suited to the user’s cooking habits.”

HANSSEM CO.,LTD.(009240)Hanssem provided three spaces for Chef Lee Yeon-bok’s Kitchen Studio: the main kitchen, the cooking island zone, and the dining room. During the event, Chef Lee Yeon-bok showcased his “Golden Fried Rice,” made with his own secret recipe, through a live cooking show. During the cooking class that followed, Chef Lee remarked, “My previous kitchen was too small to handle both filming and cooking classes simultaneously, but thanks to HANSSEM CO.,LTD.’s one-on-one custom design, I now have an ideal space tailored perfectly to my needs—from the workflow to the counter height.” He added, “Since there’s no range hood, I can also watch the cooking process of the class participants.”

The main kitchen, where the live cooking show took place, features “Euro Grace,” HANSSEM CO.,LTD.’s flagship lineup. The kitchen’s sophistication was enhanced by combining high-strength engineered stone countertops with excellent heat resistance and durability, while an induction cooktop integrated with a range hood—which does not obstruct the ceiling view—created a sense of visual openness. Functional features such as a faucet with four water streams and a two-way glass display cabinet stood out.

Regarding the collaboration with HANSSEM CO.,LTD., the chef said, “This isn’t just a place for cooking—it’s a space where we film and hold cooking classes with many people, so it had to be different from a typical kitchen.” He added, “I needed a partner who could understand and design not just the kitchen products, but also my cooking habits, the filming environment, and the flow of movement when multiple people are using the space together—and that’s why I chose to work with HANSSEM CO.,LTD.” He continued, “The most important thing was that it had to be comfortable when I’m actually cooking. I discussed every detail, from the counter height suited to my height to the fact that I’m left-handed, and even the traffic flow so that multiple people can cook together without bumping into each other.” He added, “I’m particularly satisfied with the integrated induction cooktop with a hood, which allows me to cook without obstructing my view during filming.”

Building on 56 years of kitchen design expertise, HANSSEM CO.,LTD. plans to continue introducing differentiated kitchen solutions that align with customers’ lifestyles. The chef expressed his gratitude, saying, “Instead of simply making what I requested, HANSSEM CO.,LTD. took the initiative to suggest ways to make the kitchen more comfortable to use by observing how I cook and move around.” He continued, “After working together to build the kitchen, I realized that HANSSEM CO.,LTD.’s expertise, honed through many years of experience, truly shines through in details like this, and I think I now understand why so many people turn to HANSSEM CO.,LTD. when designing their kitchens.”