Chefs from around the world have presented their own interpretations of traditional Korean recipes in the final stages of the "Global Taste of Korea Contest 2016," held at KBS Hall in Seoul on July 20.

Five finalists, each from a different country, competed in the final stages of the cooking competition. The goal was to create a Korean multi-course meal with three side-dishes that use red pepper paste, or gochujang. The five competing chefs, each of whom had won a regional competition back in their home country and who had passed the semi-finals in Korea, undertook their own interpretations of Korean food using red pepper paste. First place was eventually taken by Li Jun from China, second place by Nguyen Dang An from Vietnam and third place went to Pavel Kim from Russia.




The "Global Taste of Korea Contest," launched in 2013, is a cooking competition that promotes Korean food and cuisine around the world. The preliminary, regional competitions were held over about two months between May and July this year in 20 different countries, including the U.S., Brazil, the U.K., Japan and the Philippines. Twenty winners from each country, thus, competed in the main competition in Korea.

Before the semi-finals on July 18 in Jeonju, the capital of Jeollabuk-do Province, the competitors enjoyed an opportunity to learn and share cooking techniques for traditional Korean recipes and participated in making red pepper paste dishes and dishes traditionally eaten at Buddhist temples. The participants were appointed as honorary ambassadors for Korean food, as well.

The finals of the "Global Taste of Korea Contest" will be broadcast across Korea on Sept. 14 and 15 during the Chuseok holidays as part of KBS' national holiday special.

By Chang Iou-chung
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Jeollabuk-do Province
icchang@korea.kr