Scribd
Upload
153 views2 pages

Tradition, Asian Fusion in Korean Cuisine

Before the year 2000, Korean cuisine was little known in the Philippines. The popularity of Korean dramas introduced Filipinos to Korean food, though the spiciness of kimchi led some to believe all Korean food was very spicy. This created two attitudes - some sought less spicy "Filipinized" versions while others desired authentic Korean cooking. A respected Korean chef notes that fermentation is key to Korean cuisine, using it for meats, vegetables and seafood to add deep flavor and balance. While he once thought Korean food was not good, he has come to appreciate the "culture taste" and techniques after returning to Korea to study its culinary traditions.

Uploaded by

thea
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
153 views2 pages

Tradition, Asian Fusion in Korean Cuisine

Before the year 2000, Korean cuisine was little known in the Philippines. The popularity of Korean dramas introduced Filipinos to Korean food, though the spiciness of kimchi led some to believe all Korean food was very spicy. This created two attitudes - some sought less spicy "Filipinized" versions while others desired authentic Korean cooking. A respected Korean chef notes that fermentation is key to Korean cuisine, using it for meats, vegetables and seafood to add deep flavor and balance. While he once thought Korean food was not good, he has come to appreciate the "culture taste" and techniques after returning to Korea to study its culinary traditions.

Uploaded by

thea
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Tradition, Asian Fusion in Korean Cuisine

By Ma. Cristina Arayata

Before the year 2000, Korean cooking, let alone Korean restaurants were practically

unheard of in the Philippines. It took television, specifically the Korean drama Jewel in the

Palace to introduce what Korean cuisine is all about. The gradual opening of Korean restaurants

was originally intended to cater to Korean expatriates in the Philippines. However, as curiosity

among Filipinos brought them to Korean restaurants, the general shock brought by spicy

fermented vegetables or kimchi created the imagined concept that Korean food is altogether

spicy While it created an othering exoticization of Korean culture, it created at least two

divergent attitudes among Filipino consumers: (1) dilution, or the search for toned down or

Filipinised version of Korean cuisine, and (2) authenticity or the desire for authentic Korean

cooking.

While samgyupsal has been well-received in the Philippines, have we ever wondered

how Koreans actually prepare their food? Are there similarities between their cuisine and ours?

"We use a lot of fermented (ingredients). I know we could find fermented stuff around

the world; but we ferment (livestock) animals, vegetables, seafood," one of the respectable chefs

in Korea's culinary industry, chef Jang Jinmo, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).Jang said

fermentation is actually a key to make the food taste better and distinct.

"We use a lot of fermented (ingredients). It gives deep flavor and balance (things)

together," he said.

34-year-old chef said he used to think Korean food isn't good. He said he didn't study

Korean food, and studied French cuisine when he was in Canada.


"I came back to my country to see the Korean culture. Before I started to cook, I thought

Korean food is not good. But since I came back, I found good things, a lot of treasures in Korean

culture," Jang uttered.

The "culture taste", he said, is something that is really good. When he was studying

French cuisine, he said he discovered that their key is acidity, and still balances everything with

this key. For Koreans, Jang said they try to touch everything, but make variations, especially

when something is too salty, for instance. Almost all Korean chefs go on a long journey to be

able to cook good food, he added. Jang visited Manila last week, and prepared some dishes,

giving Filipinos a glimpse and "a taste of Korea's finest". Paired with red wine, a Korean style

marinated beef with mushroom puree was served as the main course.

Reference: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1085249?

fbclid=IwAR0Y96H5sdkF6_Ss3lE80TM8zFZiFSE3TS0AyW_WPLZ--YTzW7jXBMmiCMc

You might also like