Chef Yeo Kyung-rae recalled his experience of losing his father during his childhood. On the broadcast of the tvN variety show "You Quiz on the Block" on the 1st, the living legend of Chinese cuisine, Chef Yeo Kyung-rae, appeared as a guest. In the episode, Yeo Kyung-rae introduced himself by saying, "I have been doing Chinese cuisine for 50 years," and shared family stories together with his son, Chef Yeo Min.

Yeo Kyung-rae revealed that he lost his father when he was young and started working at a Chinese restaurant to make a living. He said, "I remember my father passing away in an accident when I was five years old," and explained the situation in detail. Yeo Kyung-rae said, "In winter, my father sold chives he farmed in the city, and our family planned to go to the theater. My mother and I got into the car first, and my father went across the street to bring the chives but had an accident. I remember saying, 'Father is dead.' I also remember throwing dirt on my father's coffin."

Yeo Kyung-rae said that witnessing his father's accident firsthand still remains in his heart. He said, "It is still vivid in my mind, and I cannot forget the memory of throwing dirt. I think I will never forget it for my whole life," adding, "If my father had been there, it wouldn't have come to this. I was in despair and felt hopeless. One day, instead of negative thoughts, I decided to work hard looking toward the future, and since then, I thought Chinese cuisine was my calling."

After losing his father, Yeo Kyung-rae developed a passion for Chinese cuisine. He said, "I was 15 years old and knew nothing about Chinese food. Since my father passed away early and I had no male guardian, and my mother only graduated from middle school, she told me to learn a skill," sharing his feelings at the time. Yeo Kyung-rae added, "The Chinese restaurant was run by a female classmate's family. When I saw that friend going home from school, I felt envious and sad, thinking that if only my father had been there, it wouldn't have been this hard."

Yeo Kyung-rae recalled important moments in his culinary career. He proudly stated, "My first salary was 6,000 won. In my twenties, it increased 100 times to 600,000 won, and at 22, I was scouted by a hotel Chinese restaurant. I changed jobs for more than twice the salary of a new employee at a large corporation."

Chef Yeo Min described his father Yeo Kyung-rae as "a terrifying presence like a tiger just standing in the kitchen," and said, "We don't call him 'father' in the kitchen; we call him 'Chef'." After recently being promoted to head chef, Yeo Min explained his relationship with the staff, saying, "We work hard among ourselves in the kitchen, but sometimes my father comes in to set the mood."

Yeo Min mentioned that his father always watches over him first, saying, "The chef is always behind me when I cook. Then he tells the staff, 'Did he leave? It's tough. Let's be comfortable,'" which brought laughter. Yeo Kyung-rae emphasized his long career in Chinese cuisine and his love for his family, touching many people through his story.

Marking the 50th anniversary of his introduction to Chinese cuisine, Chef Yeo Kyung-rae recalled, "It was August 11, 1975. I was 15 years old and knew nothing about Chinese food. Since my mother only graduated from middle school, she told me to learn a skill. At that time, the term 'Chinese restaurant' was unfamiliar, and I only knew that there were jajangmyeon, jjamppong, and sweet and sour pork."

Yeo Kyung-rae candidly revealed the pain from his childhood and his father's accident and explained how that experience influenced his life as a Chinese chef. He said, "Back then, many customers drank and fought. In that reality, I felt there was no one to save me, so I was in despair. After crying, one day I decided to live hard for the future rather than negative thoughts."

Chef Yeo Kyung-rae's story once again reminded us of the journey of life as a Chinese chef and the importance of family. His honest recollections moved and taught many people.