May 2022: KOREAN CUISINE WITH A MICHELIN ACCENT
No other Asian ethnicity has left an influential mark in the popular culture landscape for the past five years than the Koreans. Parasite broke barriers by winning Best Picture at the 92nd Academy Awards, the first non-English language film to do so. Television series, such as Squid Game and Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, from streaming platforms have struck a chord with the rapturous international audience and universal critical acclaim. Bands like BTS have been melting hearts of their music fans with their high-octane choreography and socially conscious themes of youth empowerment, mental health, and positivity. The Korean wave or Hallyu is definitely an undeniable cultural phenomenon of the 21st century.
Global export of Korean culture for mass media consumption has also brought out a more heightened awareness of its ethnic cuisine, transforming into an inescapable gastronomic trend that can potentially rival more highly established Chinese and Japanese counterparts in the future, provided that preservation efforts and promotional campaigns remain successful. Asian specialty stores and Hallyu-centric groceries have been stocking frozen dumplings and fermented jangs in their inventories to lure home cooks with sample products for diversifying the contents of their pantries and freezers. Korean restaurants have also begun popping out around the world at a rapid pace, offering a generous variety of banchan, kimchi, and muchim dishes to buffer the decadent servings of meat and seafood, whether an a la carte or a barbecue buffet setting. These dining establishments have continuously stimulated the public with their own warm hospitality to the satisfaction and embrace of every human stomach’s desires.
If starred ratings of the Michelin Guide are worthy of belief and acceptance, then Hooni Kim’s breakthrough restaurant, Danji, has set and redefined the culinary standards for modern Korean cooking, possibly prompting the French tire company to consider and explore its gastro-tourism options in Seoul in 2016. Trained by Daniel Boulud and Masa Takayama, Hooni injected his personality into his cooking to showcase traditional and authentic Korean dishes at their maximum potential and how the foundational flavors can pave the way for brilliant and fresh interpretations. For the past ten years, he continued his momentum by opening a second restaurant, Hanjan, and authoring the 2020 cookbook, My Korea, which will be the main reference of The Kitchen Scholar for all of its featured recipes this month.
Hooni Kim’s devotion to his heritage is what gives his book the integrity and timelessness to lead the gastronomic Hallyu, and the timing of its release two years ago could have never been perfect given the growing accessibility of Korean ingredients in the global market. My Korea demystifies and inspires Korean cuisine to the home cook for the fantasy rewards of rave reviews from the anonymous Michelin Guide representative. Such an impetus can only drive Korean food to permanently stay as one of the integral and relevant cuisines of constant craving.
