Chef Kenneth Foong: On Vulnerability Being A Strength, Noma 3.0, Living In Japan And The Beauty Of Not Focusing Solely On Work

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I’M KASSATA BOLLMAN. 

TODAY MY GUEST IS CHEF KENNETH FOONG.

HE JOINS US FROM COPENHAGEN…..

WHERE HE’S CURRENTLY HEAD CHEF AT NOMA.

I’LL OPEN OUR CONVERSATION….BY ASKING YOU TO REACH INTO YOUR MEMORY….

HERE…. “HAVE YOU EATEN YET ?”....IS FOCUSED MORE ON THE GREETING…IT’S A CHECK-IN OF SORTS….

WE’RE TWO MINDS…. ABOUT TO TAKE A TRIP INTO YOUR LIFE….

SO THIS IS AN OPENING… FOR US TO CONNECT…THROUGH FOOD….

THIS CAN BE A MEAL FROM ANYTIME IN YOUR LIFE….THE HOPE IS WHATEVER MEAL YOU CHOOSE TO TALK ABOUT…. IS MEANINGFUL….THAT IT BRINGS UP A  MEMORY…..OR EMOTION….

ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL PARTS OF A MEAL…HAPPENS LONG AFTER THE ACTUAL EVENT….THOSE MEMORIES CAN BE POWERFUL….AND WE LIKE TO HONOR AND EMBRACE THAT  CONCEPT HERE….

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NOMA

YOU’RE EMBARKING ON A TRANSITIONAL PERIOD…

AS NOMA 3.0 ROLLS OUT IN 2025…AND THE RESTAURANT TRANSFORMS INTO A TEST KITCHEN. 

FROM WHAT I’VE READ, YOUR TEAM WILL CONTINUE TO TRAVEL AND HOST POP-UPS.

SEASONAL MENUS AND SERVICE WILL ALSO STILL BE HOSTED IN COPENHAGEN AT TIMES.

WHEN I READ ABOUT THE CONCEPT,  THE SENTENCE THAT STOOD OUT TO ME WAS QUOTE “SERVING GUESTS WILL STILL BE A PART OF WHO WE ARE, BUT BEING A RESTAURANT WILL NO LONGER DEFINE US.”

AS HEAD CHEF HOW WILL YOUR DAY TO DAY LOOK… ONCE NOMA 3.0 ARRIVES ?

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ADVICE

WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE THAT YOU'VE EVER BEEN GIVEN ?

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EARLY DAYS

LET’S GO BACK IN TIME… TO YOUR EARLY DAYS AT NOMA…

YOU ARRIVED LATER IN YOUR CAREER…WITH OVER A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE…I’D LOVE FOR YOU TO TAKE US THROUGH WHAT A TYPICAL DAY LOOKED LIKE FOR YOU BACK THEN ?

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LOOKING BACK AT YOUR FIRST FEW MONTHS AT NOMA….ARE THERE ANY HURDLES AND/OR HIGHLIGHTS THAT STAND OUT TO YOU ?

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TRUE

HOW DO YOU STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF WHILE NAVIGATING THE UPS AND DOWNS OF LIFE ?

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YOUNGER SELF

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR YOUNGER SELF ?….MAYBE IT’S ADVICE, A THOUGHT….OR A FEELING….….

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SERVICE 

REFLECTING ON YOUR CAREER…IS THERE ONE SERVICE THAT STICKS OUT …THAT BROUGHT YOU A DEEP SENSE OF JOY ?

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TRIP

WHAT’S ONE TRIP THAT YOU’VE BEEN ON THAT HAS POSITIVELY IMPACTED YOUR LIFE…THIS COULD BE AN ACTUAL TRIP….. OR….MAYBE IT’S A GOOD MEMORY….LIKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE…OR...IT COULD BE A PSYCHEDELIC TRIP…

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NEXT

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU ?...….WHAT ARE YOU EXCITED FOR IN THE MONTHS TO COME ? ……IT COULD BE TRAVELING….CHANGING YOUR DAILY HABITS….SLOWING DOWN IN LIFE….A WORK RELATED PROJECT…WHATEVER YOU’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO….

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DEATH

DEATH IS A TOPIC THAT WE OFTEN AVOID OPENLY DISCUSSING IN OUR SOCIETY…YET IT’S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL FACE AT SOME POINT IN LIFE….

PERSONALLY, HAVING HEALTHY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DEATH PRODUCES AN AWARENESS ABOUT THE PRESENT MOMENT…AN APPRECIATION FOR LIFE….AND HELPS ME LIVE FULLY…

DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS, EMOTIONS OR INSIGHTS ABOUT DEATH…. FROM YOUR UPBRINGING…..OR LIVED EXPERIENCE….THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?

[[CHEF KENNETH FOONG DISCUSSES]]

SYNCHRONICITIES

HAVE THERE EVER BEEN ANY SIGNS OR SYNCHRONICITIES IN YOUR LIFE…. THAT GUIDED YOU IN SOME WAY  ?…IT COULD BE A CHANCE ENCOUNTER WITH A STRANGER….A CONVERSATION THAT LED TO AN OPPORTUNITY….THAT YOU COULD NOT HAVE ARRANGED….EVEN IF YOU TRIED….THERE’S A WIDE SPECTRUM HERE…..NOTHING IS OFF LIMITS…

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TAKEAWAY

THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR WISDOM WITH US …

I BELIEVE THAT THE JOURNEY…. IS ALWAYS GREATER THAN THE DESTINATION. 

IT’S ON THE PATH THAT WE LEARN….EVOLVE AND….. ENCOUNTER LESSONS…. THAT SHAPE US…. INTO OUR BEST SELVES.

I ALWAYS LIKE ENDING…. BY ASKING…. IF THERE’S ANY TAKEAWAY THAT YOU’D LIKE TO LEAVE WITH LISTENERS…..THAT CAN POSITIVELY INFLUENCE THEIR LIVES.

IT COULD BE SOMETHING WE JUST DISCUSSED…. A LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED ON YOUR JOURNEY…. OR GENERAL LIFE ADVICE THAT YOU LIVE BY...

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AND WHERE OR HOW …..IS THE BEST WAY FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT…. OR GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU  ?

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OUTRO

THANKS FOR LISTENING….AND IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY….... FOLLOW  “HAVE YOU EATEN YET?” ….WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS….

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