At the table What a mercurial, bewildering change of course

Though plagued by doubt as much as anyone — more? Less? Oh god, now I'm not sure — I tend to think none of us are ever-fixèd marks, bound to the same mistakes and impotent to change. Who we are and what we do might vary with the weather, or a few pints. A capricious bent is nothing to be ashamed of.

- DAVID ELLIS

Take the chef Joo Won, whose career has been a zig-zag of wrong turns, dead ends and open doors. Busan-born, the South Korean had ill-fated plans in industrial engineering until a stint in the navy ended, and a job in the local bakery was all that was to hand. Passion, or at least purpose, took shape. This was 25 years ago: London followed, with work at Orrery under André Garrett. Won fell for Alain Ducasse but also St John. And then he cooked at Galvin at Windows for 15 years, half as head chef.

Chris Galvin probably hadn't intended to lose his head chef when he invited him on a week's working jaunt to South Korea, so his plans went awry too. Won discovered the food he had dismissed as a child now held him in its thrall: in 2020 he left Galvin's restaurant and began popping up Calong. After a four-year tour, he's settled in Stokey.