Ryan Phillips moved from Texas to Seoul, South Korea, in 2006 following a sudden breakup, leaving

Ryan Phillips moved from Texas to Seoul, South Korea, in 2006 following a sudden breakup, leaving behind an accounting job and a live-in relationship to start a new life abroad, yahoo.com reported.

From Dallas Accounting Desks to Seoul Culinary Classrooms

Phillips grew up north of Dallas after moving around Texas several times during his youth. His father was born in Korea and brought to the United States as a three-year-old child. In 2000, Phillips earned a degree in international economics and finance from Austin College. He initially worked in accounting before pivoting to culinary arts after running into the owners of a Texas ranch where he had done odd jobs as a teenager. He spent two years cooking American barbecue before returning briefly to accounting.

When his personal life imploded in 2006, a friend suggested moving to Korea. At age 27 and without speaking Korean, Phillips arrived in Seoul and landed his first job teaching cooking classes to children at an expensive preschool. The department head at the school recognized his professional experience and persuaded him to teach in the culinary program at a career-training college. In 2015, he expanded his expertise by earning a master’s degree in hospitality from Le Cordon Bleu in Seoul.

Establishing Bearfoot Gardens and Culinary Events in Hwaseong

After years in formal kitchens, Phillips transitioned into agriculture and independent catering. On his first rented plot of land, he and four partners attempted to farm organically without herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers, relying mostly on YouTube tutorials. Local farmers eventually intervened, shouting instructions about single-stalk chili cultivation in Korean. That early agricultural lesson inspired the name of their farm-to-table hot sauce, Han-joolgi, which translates to single stalk and is sold in three Seoul restaurants.

Earlier in the year, Phillips moved his agricultural operations to a new plot of land on the southwestern outskirts of Seoul in Hwaseong, naming the enterprise Bearfoot Gardens. The farm now grows 30 different varieties of chilies alongside basil, thyme, oregano, and corn. In a separate kitchen, he smokes meats and bottles hot sauces to support private catering and regular farm-to-table events. These gatherings host dozens to hundreds of guests, drawing international students and United States military personnel for menus featuring American barbecue, Mexican food, and Korean dishes.

Two Decades Abroad and No Plans for a Return to Texas

Now 47 years old, Phillips reflects on two decades in South Korea. While he maintains close ties with family and friends in Texas, he states that he has zero reasons to leave Seoul.