Sophia Choi @ Jeonju Restaurant

Since 1999, Sophia Choi and her mother, Eunhae Bae, have been whipping up hearty and healthy traditional Korean home-style dishes at Jeonju Restaurant, just steps from the Murray Hill Long Island Railroad stop.

Sophia stresses that Jeonju Restaurant’s philosophy and top priority has and will be to provide food that would pass under the auspices of the most scrutinizingly health-conscious and tradition-favoring mother. This may not be surprising, as Mrs. Bae (head chef at Jeonju Restaurant) hails from Jeonju, South Korea, which is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. Lonely Planet has also hailed Jeonju as South Korea’s “culinary capital.”

Sophia was born and raised in Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city behind Seoul. She began training in classical piano at the age of five, and continues to hone her musical talent today by playing for her local church. Sophia also enjoys playing flute, guitar, and the saxophone. Besides playing musical instruments, Sophia unwinds by catching up on episodes of “Running Man” and “CSI: Miami.” She has one sports-loving son who recently graduated from Flushing High School and is preparing to join the Army. Sophia also has a fifteen year-old daughter who is still in high school. Together with her husband (also from Busan), Sophia’s family has called Flushing home for over seventeen years — just about as Jeonju Restaurant’s doors have been open.