From Korea to the California coast, Chef Jaeseung ‘David’ Gwak now finds home at the end of the IB Pier

From Korea to the California coast, Chef Jaeseung ‘David’ Gwak now finds home at the end of the IB Pier

The sea has never been far from Jaeseung “David” Gwak’s life. He grew up in Namhae, an idyllic coastal village in South Korea, and cooked for years in the industrial port city of Qingdao, China. But as of Oct. 9, the 36-year-old now runs a small kitchen in Imperial Beach hovering over the Pacific, at the end of the city’s historic pier. “I’m used to being on the water,” said Gwak, also a veteran of the Korean Navy. “It reminds me of back home.” …