L.A. food companies can’t seem to get enough of South Korean pop star Psy, who rose to international fame last year on YouTube with his song “Gangnam Style.” In February, he starred in a pistachio ad for Stewart and Lynda Resnick’s Paramount Farms Inc. that aired during the Super Bowl. Now, he’s pushing bibimbap and other Korean fare.

CJ Foods Inc., the Commerce subsidiary of CJ Group in Seoul, South Korea, partnered with the entertainer to promote its expanding Bibigo restaurant chain and line of Korean pantry staples, including dumplings and meat marinades. The ploy? Psy has launched a global search for a personal chef to cater his world tour. The winning amateur chef will stay with the singer at five-star hotels for a month and receive $40,000 – along with a healthy supply of Bibigo food. Applicants must upload videos online.

John Soo Han, director of marketing for CJ Foods, which is sponsoring Psy’s chef-seeking campaign, said the timing was perfect to line up Psy to promote the Korean food company. CJ Foods launched its campaign for Bibigo just as Psy released his new single, “Gentleman.”

It also helps that Psy seems to like the food.

“Even before this, when he came to Los Angeles he would come to our restaurants,” he said. “He really loves bibimbap.”

– Bethany Firnhaber