In addition to working as a chef for the College’s Culinary Operations department, Chef Yu also instructs PPL students in taekwondo, a passion of his for decades.
Martial arts have played a major role in Chef Steve Yu’s life since he was a child.
The son of a legendary taekwondo instructor, Yu’s passion has burned for the practice since he was 11. Since then, he’s won countless awards, medals and recognition for his skills.
Now, 20 years after leading classes in a dojo, Yu is back in front of students: the executive chef for Schoolcraft College’s Culinary Operations takes off his chef whites for a dobok at the end of the workday, teaching taekwondo for the College’s Personal & Professional Learning students.
“It was like riding a bike where it all starts coming back to you and then some,” Yu said. “All this new knowledge I’ve gained over the last 20 years from culinary can now be applied to this martial arts class as well.”
The son of a legendary taekwondo grand master who immigrated to the United States from Korea, Yu found his rhythm in the martial arts while he was young. He’s participated in hundreds of competitions, even appearing on ESPN for his talents.
While always having a passion for taekwondo, Yu knew he wanted to find another career. So, he turned to cooking. Knowing the Culinary Arts program at Schoolcraft College was exquisite, he moved to western Wayne County and enrolled. Since graduating, Yu has worked as an executive chef at La Bistecca Italian Grille in Plymouth Township, Walnut Creek Country Club in Lyon Township and finally in the Schoolcraft College kitchens for the Culinary Operations team.
But that itch for teaching martial arts was still with him. So, he approached leadership about teaching here at Schoolcraft College and began teaching Martial Arts Fusion: Tang Soo Do/Tae Knon Do earlier this year. He continued teaching during the spring semester and is hosting another class in the fall.
One of Yu’s students, Zoe Irvin, said she had always been interested in learning martial arts, but it always seemed intimidating to sign up. It wasn’t until she attended Otaku U, the annual anime convention put on by the College’s Student Activities Office and attended a cooking demonstration by Yu that the idea of learning martial arts came up.
“At the end of the presentation, the chef mentioned his new martial arts class at the college,” she said. “The way he taught and explained cooking and the passion with which he spoke of martial arts, we knew he’d be a great taekwondo instructor. We were hooked. All of us quickly signed up for his first class.
“And just like that, Chef Steve became Master Yu.”
Passions collide
Yu said cooking and martial arts have plenty of similarities, which makes for a nice blend of his two passions: cooking and the martial arts.
“The repetition, the self-motivation, the attention to detail. When it comes to food versus a punch, the attention to detail is everything,” Yu said. “It’s really the mental training and the muscle memory that comes in both.”
That passion has been seen by his students, who have embraced his compassion and knowledge.
“He answers questions, re-explains, and demonstrates as many times as we need with true expertise, zero judgment, and a sense of humor,” Irvin said. “He is always ready to meet you where you are at, even if that is different from others in class.”
“All this new knowledge I’ve gained over the last 20 years from culinary can now be applied to this martial arts class as well.” -Chef Steve Yu
His course has turned out to be quite popular, with more students joining each semester. Ashley Garringer, Director of PPL, said having Yu as an instructor is a huge benefit for the students.
“Our instructors bring their expertise to their courses, and having a someone with the caliber of knowledge like Chef Steve is huge win for our students,” she said. “His class has been a great addition to our catalog, and we hope more people enroll in the coming semesters.”
Interested in learning taekwondo or another martial arts class? Registration for Fall 2026 PPL courses are now available. Visit schoolcraft.edu/ppl to view the upcoming course catalog and learn how to sign up for classes.
Returning to classroom teaching has been just as beneficial for Yu. And given his competitive mindset, he put in all he can to make sure his students learn the art.
“Everything in life has to be at 100% or more and that includes this,” Yu said. “I took enough of a break. I have all this knowledge and I don’t want it to go to waste.”
Irvin plans to learn as much as she can from Yu: already an orange belt, she said she can’t wait to see how much she can learn through his class. Anyone interested in learning, she said, she plan to sign up
“The class is a wonderful way to exercise, make connections, and learn many new skills,” she said. “It’s not just a martial arts class, but a new perspective and lifestyle. I would recommend this course to anyone who these words have resonated with. Come join us!”
Registration for the PPL Winter semester opens Nov. 11, with aquatics course registration opening Nov. 10. To see a list of courses, visit schoolcraft.edu/ppl.