Kimchi, bulgogi. bibimbap, and gochujang. They are no longer unpronounceable strange words for today’s trend-conscious food lovers. Indeed, it is perhaps rather difficult to miss spotting spicy Korean instant noodles (or ‘ramyun’), kimchi, and gochujang (Korean chilli paste) and other Korean-inspired readymade sauces on our everyday supermarket shelves.

It is certainly not an exaggeration to say that the Korean cuisine, popularly nicknamed as ‘K-food’ along with the sensational popularity of K-pop and K-dramas (Korean soap operas), has now been effectively incorporated into South Africa’s bustling food scene and household food pantry as one of its international food staples with its spicy, funky, and healthy offer.

In response to such popular demand, a special workshop introducing popular Korean dishes and the country’s thriving gastronomy and culinary industry was held last month, 7 March, at the Korean Cultural Centre in Pretoria.

The workshop inaugurated a series of the Korean cuisine and culture workshops under the title of ‘The Taste of Korea,’ an initiative that is intended to provide comprehensive understanding of the Korean cuisine and hands-on cooking experience to professional chefs and culinary students.

A group of chefs and students from Pretoria’s prestigious Steyns Culinary School were the first to join the inaugural workshop to grasp the most recent trends of the Korean cuisine in ever-changing gastronomy and culinary industry.

The participants learned to make quintessential Korean dishes ‘bibimbap’ (arguably the most popular Korean rice dish served in a large bowl topped with a variety of vegetables and beef) and ‘deonjang-guk’ (a hearty Korean soybean paste soup with a variety of vegetables and tofu) through a hands-on cooking session while also being offered to try other popular Korean dishes such as kimchi and bulgogi to pair with what they made on the day.

The workshop was followed by a Q&A session about the latest trends and business prospects of Korean food in the country’s food industry with veteran chef and business owner Christine Bae who has been running a booming Korean food catering business ‘Kimchee’ since 2016 in South Africa as well as teaching Korean cooking classes at the Korean Cultural Centre SA.

The school, which boasts to have had graduates who now have established their prominent careers in the industry including South Africa’s 4th Michelin-starred chef Thinus Van Der Westhusizen, has indeed long been expanding their students’ international food experiences through various programs including Korean food workshops.

▲ David Steyn, Executive head of the Steyns Culinary School

David Steyn, Executive head of the Steyns Culinary School, said “It is truly remarkable to have witnessed continuously increasing presence of Korean cuisine in the South African food scene over the recent years. I have personally visited South Korea on multiple occasions since 2008. In comparison to the time when I first visited South Korea, the change that I see is incredible. Due to the ever-increasing demand and interests, we have also been offering Korean cooking workshops to our students. It was such a great and timely opportunity for our chefs and students to be able to broaden their knowledge and experience in Korean cuisine through this workshop, and I’m certain this would benefit their culinary journey extensively.”

The upcoming workshops planned for the series of the Korean cuisine and culture workshops ‘The Taste of Korea’ include: the symbolic fermented vegetables of Korea ‘kimchi’; Korean fermented pastes ‘jang’; Korean desserts; and Korean alcoholic drinks and food paring.

*For more information and inquiries, please contact the Korean Cultural Centre in South Africa (KCCSA) at kccsa@korea.kr or +27 12-001-9204.

Korean Cultural Centre in South Africa (KCCSA) | 주남아공한국문화원

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