Korean culinary traditions run much deeper than barbecue – and this chef is on a mission to preserve them

On a very warm evening a few years ago, I entered a cool, lively, minimalist restaurant with a heavy, wide wooden door and sat down at a relatively small, empty table. The menu was as minimal as the space, but as I quickly noticed, the taste of the food I ate there was anything but.

sharp, bright, exciting, powerful — The Korean style Kaiseki meal was a great culinary experience, but the really best part was the dessert.burrata — Up-and-coming “IT ingredients” that were popular at the time — For dessert? “What a crazy idea!” I thought, but since I’m a big fan of Italian food, I ordered it right away.

The burrata came with sujeonggua granita. — Essentially, it’s shaved ice infused with traditional Korean cinnamon punch and ginger flavor. — Add some walnuts and lychee yogurt for texture.

It was, and still is, one of the best desserts I’ve ever tasted. The cold granita, the crunch of the walnuts, the smooth cheese, the sour yogurt, the difference in temperature, the way the granita melts on your tongue. It was really something else. (It’s still on the menu by the way!)

The restaurant is Atboy The chef is Jonghyun “JP” Park, who runs the restaurant with his wife and manager Elia Park.Since that day, they’ve opened the Michelin-starred Atomics, as well as Nalo, Soul Salon (all in New York City), and most recently, in October, he released “Korean Cookbook” Via PHAIDON, an amazingly comprehensive book and love letter to everything that defines Korean cuisine. In developing and writing this book, he collaborated with culinary expert, chef, and author Jeongyun Choi, who advised him on culinary research and history.

With 350 recipes and nearly 500 pages, this book is truly a compendium. It went through extensive research and training, learned the industry and cuisine inside out, and utilized those components to make a mark on the New York City food scene and the food world around the world. in his cooking, paying homage to his previous work while delivering an inspiring and delicious menu. As Korean food explodes in popularity, Park shows that Korean cuisine is not monolithic and can range from street food to haute cuisine. Mr. Park modernizes cherished Korean classics and flavors, fusing those lines into something completely original.

While many Americans may automatically think of Korean barbecue or other classic dishes like bulgogi, Korean fried chicken, and tteokbokki when the concept of Korean food comes to mind, Park is a fan of banchan and hansik in general. We are deeply focused on and exploring. — Both throughout the book and in his restaurant. — It sheds light on other areas of Korean cuisine that may be less well known.

Park told me that his drive to write a book like this coincides with the huge recent growth in cooking as a whole. “As interest in Korean culture continues to grow and Korean food is in the spotlight significantly, we wanted to create a cookbook that captures the fundamentals of today’s hansik to spark conversation.”

Chef Jung Hyun Park (Photo: Peter Ash Lee/Courtesy of Phaidon)

Hansik is defined simply as “Korean food,” something Park likes to highlight throughout the book to summarize its core philosophy. Rather, they aim to introduce authentic hansik, Korean everyday people’s recipes. ”

It was also written in the book,What most dishes have in common is a 7:3 ratio of vegetable to meat ingredients. 70% of the ingredients used in Hansik are plant-based. Furthermore, the main seasoning method for Korean food is fermentation. ”

Moreover, Hae Kyung Chung (professor at Hoseo University, whose book is published in Korean Cookbook) writes:[Hansik] is rooted in the theory of Yin Yang and the Five Elements, which are the defining philosophies of Eastern culture in understanding the universe. ”

In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that interest in Korean cuisine in general is increasing. In the New York Times in 2022 article“There are currently between 2,000 and 7,000 Korean restaurants in the U.S. alone (higher estimates are from marketing research firm IbisWorld),” says Ligaya Mishan, data analyzed by New York University food researcher Krishnendu Ray. According to , in 2022, four times more Korean restaurants deserved to be listed in the Michelin Guide in New York than in 2006.”

But Mishan points out that this is not just an American “trend.” The number of Korean restaurants around the world increased by a staggering 262% in the eight years from 2009 to 2017. forbes Just earlier this month, Laurie Wenler praised the “luxurious” Gori, “Chef’s Counter, a tasting menu above Ant, an upscale Korean steakhouse in New York Midtown East.” Restaurants such as his COTE and Haenyeo in New York, “Top Chef” alumnus Beverly Kim’s restaurant in Chicago, Eric Kim, Maan Chi and numerous cookbooks have sparked interest in Korean culture and cuisine. — Street food, home-cooked meals, fine dining offerings and more — I’m fulfilled.

But for Park, the book’s focus was more homegrown. “My restaurant is, after all, an expression of my personal palette, my experiences, my creative ideas.”

“It comes from Korean food because I’m Korean and I grew up eating Korean food. But the recipes and dishes in my restaurant are a combination of my global experiences, studies, and ideas. and they are personal,” Park said.

Park was conscious that this book would appeal to the entire Korean population. “Language has a powerful influence, and we wanted to be able to use Korean, especially when it comes to techniques and ingredients that are unique to Hansik.” Again, he focused on the book’s intentions, saying, “This book is aimed at home cooks and readers around the world who are interested in learning about Korean food and culture, and we wanted to make sure it was a resource for everyone.” be interested. “

“We spent the first year developing the philosophy and framework for the book before digging into specific recipes,” he said.

We also asked about the collaboration between Park and Choi. Choi said, “JP Chef has the perspective of a chef who is responsible for shaping the cultural conversation among diners, especially in foreign cities outside of Korea. “His understanding of what people were interested in was important in shaping the book.”

Additionally, Park said Choi has “a really deep, fact-based understanding of Korean food, its history, and its roots. He has led countless research projects on Korean food, and has presented and written about Korean food. “She understands the essence of it because she has written about it.” About each element of Hansik. ” It is definitely a “symbiotic relationship” as they say.

Another important point in the basics of Korean cooking is, of course, rice and banchan in general. “One of the most important or central foundations of hansik is cooked rice, or bap. For many historical and geographical reasons, rice was, and continues to be, the center of the Korean meal. I am.”

Park added, “Banchan culture was born and evolved as a delicious way to eat rice.” — And the jang culture naturally evolved as a way to make delicious banchan. ”

Korean cookbook by Junghyun Park and Jungyuon Choi (provided by Phaidon)

Regarding seasoning with fermented soy sauce and salted seafood, Park points out the importance of staple foods. From ganjang, gochujang to doenjang. “Korean miso is a seasoning that can add deep flavor to any simple preparation and forms the basis of almost all seasonings used in Korean cuisine,” he said.

Park also said that the ubiquity of soul food is reflected in Korean cuisine as a whole, especially in things like miyeokguk (seaweed soup). “In Korean tradition, we eat miyeokkuk on birthdays because it is nutritious and is the main kuk that mothers eat after giving birth. This dish brings families and people together. Seaweed for postnatal care Mothers Eating Soup” Other than that, Jjigae (Korean stew) in general — in all its many iterations — Everyone can feel especially soothing and comforted.

This reminded me of the following in Italian-American culture: pastina — This grain has ancient importance in Italy, America, and many other countries. Park continued, “Even when children grow up, by eating this soup to celebrate their birthdays, they remember their mothers who gave birth to them and raised them, and they express their gratitude to her.” Told.

Kimchi is perhaps the most widely recognized and ubiquitous Korean dish (with bibimbap likely next), and one that Park knew needed to be covered in more detail. “Kimchi is an icon in Korean cuisine, especially because it contains all the characteristics that make up hansik.” Namely, its intention (“a combination of bap and banchan”), the importance of fermentation, and its plant base. It’s the “lean” nature, the variety it brings in terms of flavor, color, etc.

“Kimchi comes in a variety of colors: white, green, yellow, and red. It can be made with any vegetable all year round. It utilizes fermentation, the most iconic technique in Korean cooking, and this unique We can show how technology can be applied to create a wide variety of flavours.”

Park also talked about Korean cuisine and the place of kimchi in the book as a whole. “This is a cookbook that contains the most common expressions of iconic recipes. So rather than focusing on the unique aspects of one recipe, these recipes reflect the overall concept of a food such as kimchi. I would like to emphasize that it is intended to represent the following: Next, I will draw examples of the range of each type of food,” he said.

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In addition to cooking and ingredients, “The Korea Cookbook” also provides detailed explanations of techniques. “Fermented recipes are more delicious when combined with other banchan or eaten with bap or cooked rice rather than eaten alone. If your kimchi has aged and can no longer be eaten fresh, try kimchi jjigae or kimchi jjigae. You can eat kimchi in a variety of ways, including kimchi fried rice. It’s a waste-free dish.”

If you’re a beginner looking to delve deeper into Korean cuisine, Park recommends reading the chorim or bokgeum chapters as a starting point, or the various banchan or “rice dishes” to get things started and familiarize yourself with Korean cuisine. We recommend that you make “dishes that are intended to accompany…” Taste of Korean food.

“One of the greatest appeals of Hansik and the unique Bap and Banchan culture that defines the way Koreans eat is that diners have so much autonomy in creating their own flavors and dining experiences. Even when dining communally, which is Hansik’s hallmark, everyone can enjoy their favorite flavor and texture combinations without invalidating the entire experience for others.”

Mr. Park mentioned the Korean proverb, “The food ends in your mouth,” and said, “This speaks to the unique nature of hansik.At the restaurant, you are free to create your own favorite combination of bap and banchan.” ” he said.

Enjoy the park’s gourmet food — Especially its creative and original desserts — It perfectly shows how Korean fundamentals, flavors and cuisine influence his own work. Whether you enjoy Korean cuisine at home or in a fine Michelin restaurant, the flavors and aromas that have been preserved and enriched over generations are evident in every bite. Mr. Park is the liaison to bring those flavors to new customers. Whether it’s your first time or someone who has loved Korean food since childhood, Ever since I tasted Miyokukuku for the first time.