Passion begins in the form of a small spark, which later flares into a raging fire. For 18 year old Howell High School student Eunseong Roh, this passion left a mark within the building that will last under his name for a long time to come. It all started with a thought and suggestion, which soon became a reality: the Roh Burger.

The burger, made with a flavoring to replicate the Korean BBQ dish bulgogi, will be making its debut in the Highlander restaurant in the upcoming weeks.

“I think it will be popular,” Chef Walker says. “There has been a lot of positive feedback from faculty. They’re blown away.”

Chef Walker also revealed that this isn’t the first time a student has gained recognition in his class, however it is the first time a student has ever had an item named after themselves.

“The recipe only took about five minutes to come up with,” Roh says. “I just looked up other recipes and tweaked them, making it my own creation.”

“It felt good when my creation was recognized in class, but I also wasn’t entirely satisfied,” Roh says. “I could only add the flavor of bulgogi, but not make it taste exactly the same as real bulgogi.”

Contradictory to Roh’s dissatisfaction, Chef Walker says, “He brought some flavor to the burger that I’ve never thought of before. From bringing in the Korean elements, he brought in a lot of different tastes.”

Roh has a long history involved in the food industry that dates back to his early teen years. Though culinary hasn’t always been the exact path he had his eye set on, food had always been resting in the back of his mind as something he could build a lifestyle upon for his future.

“My first goal was a Chocolatier,” Roh says. “I met my first mentor at a concert in Korea. He told me that when I start baking, chocolate is a good transition to pastries. I became a baker because the academy and transportation fees for a Chocolatier would waste too much money.”

When Roh was 16, he left his high school to further pursue his dream and started working at his first job at a bakery in Korea. His passion for culinary arts involved many deep decisions and sacrifices, but his future shines as bright as ever, for that fervor drives on a path to a secure destiny and opportunities beyond one’s eye.

“I started gaining interest in culinary when I took my first culinary arts class,” Roh says. “Also, my interest grew when my friend Joe introduced me to more.”

The enthusiasm Roh had towards the subject of culinary grew with the support of his friend Joe, as well as his senior colleagues back in Korea who he said served as inspiration to him.

“My favorite thing about culinary is that the food is delicious, and you can make it all yourself. Not only does the food taste good, but it looks good as well,” Roh says.

Roh has a contract with his mentor back in Korea who plans to teach him new techniques and theories once he returns to his home country in December. After he organizes his visa, he plans to come back to the United States with his mentor and work. Roh’s dream college is the Culinary Institute of America, which he hopes to attend in the future.

Before Roh had become a student in Chef Walker’s class, the chef had been skeptical about the skill set that he’d been informed of, but as the months have passed, Roh proved himself to be a great addition in the group.

“Roh is a true professional,” Chef Walker says. “He was working professionally as a student in Korea and it’s obvious that he is professional. His skill set is very elevated.”

Chef Walker sees high potential in Roh’s future in culinary, “I see him becoming an executive chef and succeeding in college. He definitely has the qualifications to go there and be successful. If he set up shop here in America, he’d do well. Asian influence can go far here in America,” Chef Walker says.

Roh is considered to be an individual set apart from the rest of his class in his own unique elements.

“He’ll even write recipes and draw pictures to show me what the final product will be,” Chef Walker says. “Even though I don’t ask him to. It sets him apart. His strength is his artistry and knowing the basic fundamentals of baking and cooking all together.”

According to Roh’s sister, Dongoh, he tends to to cook for their family at least once every week, and especially excels in making cakes and desserts when birthdays come around within their household, “On my father’s birthday, he made milk cream cake and it was very good,” Dongoh says.

“I don’t think our family has any background in culinary, but it seems making delicious food and making people happy drew him into culinary,” Dongoh says.

Roh’s journey into the world of culinary was not the smoothest of rides when it came to initial acceptance from his family, but gradually, it became his pride.

“Even though I wish I could make higher quality food, culinary arts class has been an amazing experience,” Roh says.