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Category: Cuisine

Jang – The Soul of Korean Cooking

Posted on by Yurim Oh

Like the foundational role of butter in French cooking or olive oil in Italian cuisine, jangs stand as the cornerstone of Korean cooking, infusing every dish with a symphony of flavors and complexity. Chef Mingoo Kang, often referred to as South Korea’s best chef, invites readers on a gastronomic journey in Jang: The Soul of Korean Cooking to discover the deceptively simple |
Excerpted from Jang by Mingoo Kang (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2024. Photographs by Dong Gil Yun. |

Like the foundational role of butter in French cooking or olive oil in Italian cuisine, jangs stand as the cornerstone of Korean cooking, infusing every dish with a symphony of flavors and complexity. Chef Mingoo Kang, often referred to as South Korea’s best chef, invites readers on a gastronomic journey in Jang: The Soul of Korean Cooking to discover the deceptively simple, yet utterly unique and complex Korean sauces that have been near secret ingredients until now.

Chef Kang is celebrated for his dedication to the exploration of jangs at his two-Michelin star restaurant, Mingles, in South Korea. In his new book, he demystifies the art of cooking with these soulful sauces through 60 home-cook-friendly recipes that showcase the versatility and depth of the umami-rich flavors in both Korean and Western preparations.

In addition to providing delicious preparations and flavor notes customized for home kitchens, Jang delves into the history and methods behind the three jangs—ganjang, doenjang, and gochujang. Jang is not merely a cookbook but a timeless addition to every culinary enthusiast’s collection, bridging cultures through the universal language of exquisite flavor.

Chef Kang and his two co-authors, Joshua David Stein and Nadia Cho, discuss jang, Korean food, and their new cookbook.

Jang: The Soul of Korean Cooking will be available for purchase during the program.

 

Jang: The Soul of Korean Cooking

Wednesday, March 13, 2024 | 6:30 PM (EDT)


 The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

 

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About the Speakers:

 
Photo by Dong Gil Yun
 

Mingoo Kang is the chef and owner of Mingles, located in Seoul, which has been named one of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants and holds two Michelin stars. Kang’s approach at Mingles of presenting innovative hansik has earned him both domestic and international acclaim, and he frequently collaborates with chefs around the world. Most recently, in 2021, he was awarded the Inedit Damm Chefs’ Choice Award—the only accolade voted for by the other chefs on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list. In addition to Mingles, Chef Kang runs a retail market in Seoul called MamaLee Market; Hansik Goo, which offers creative Korean cuisine in Hong Kong; and the popular fried chicken brand Hyodo Chicken.
 
 
Photo by DeSean McClinton-Holland
 

Joshua David Stein is a writer based in New York City. He is the author of Cooking for Your Kids: At Home with the World’s Greatest Chefs and the coauthor of Notes from a Young Black Chef and My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef, both with Kwame Onwuachi; The Nom Wah Cookbook, with Wilson Tang; Il Buco: Stories and Recipes, with Donna Lennard; Vino: An Essential Guide to Real Italian Wine, with Joe Campanale; and Food & Beer, with Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø and Daniel Burns. He is also the author of To Me He Was Just Dad: Stories of Growing Up with Famous Fathers and a number of award-winning children’s books, including Can I Eat That?, What’s Cooking?, and Solitary Animals.
 
 
Photo by Diane Kang
 

Nadia Cho is the founder of Jeong Culture and Communication, which is dedicated to promoting Korean food in the United States. She has been a liaison for chefs and journalists to Korean food and has worked with Bon Appétit, Condé Nast Traveler, Food & Wine, and the New York Times and T Magazine to bring chefs and journalists to Korea. She was the producer of the “Jeong Kwan” episode of Chef’s Table and helped produce episodes for Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown and other shows on the Cooking Channel, NBC, ABC, and many others. She has produced and directed Korean food content on Eater.com.

 

About the Moderator:
 

Juliana Sohn is a photographer and skilled storyteller known for her intimate portraiture. Her work centers on creating and preserving memories and observations of culture. She is co-host and co-founder of K-Pod, a podcast featuring Korean Americans in arts and culture for Korean American Story, where she has interviewed Korean chefs Eunjo Park, Jenny Kwak, Ed Lee, and food writer Eric Kim. She is the paper flower artist behind Pirrly.

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The Korean Cookbook with Chef Junghyun Park Peter Serpico: Learning Korean with Eric Kim Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home with Eric Kim The Korean Art of Fermentation

Snowglobe with Soyoung Park and Joungmin Lee Comfort

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“A thrillingly and ingeniously conceived allegory about where we are, and where we’re headed.” —David Yoon, New York Times bestselling author of Frankly in Love

Snowglobe by Soyoung Park, the first book in a powerful young adult dystopian duology, is a groundbreaking exploration of personal identity, and the future of the world as we know it. The winner of the Changbi X Kakaopage Young Adult Novel Award, the novel has been translated into English by Joungmin Lee Comfort, introducing a new readership to this cutting-edge commentary on climate change, socioeconomic inequality, and personal identity.

Set in a frozen world, only the residents of Snowglobe have it all: fame, fortune, and, above all, safety from the bitter cold. Outside the domed city, citizens must face the –50-degree Fahrenheit temperatures to produce the energy that Snowglobe needs to run. Their only solace comes in the form of television programming developed from the 24/7 filming of those who live in Snowglobe. When Snowglobe’s biggest star and newly-minted weather announcer, Haeri, is found dead, look-alike Chobahm must take her place, getting the opportunity of a lifetime to join the residents inside. But she soon discovers that the society she’s idolized is hiding a frozen and dangerous heart.

Snowglobe is a powerful and layered thrill ride containing a myriad of plot twists and a shocking ending that will keep readers eagerly awaiting its sequel.

Join us for a conversation with the author and translator, moderated by Kat Cho, as they discuss the English publication of Snowglobe.

★ “Transporting and unputdownable; an appealing combination of deep and page-turning.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

 

Snowglobe with Soyoung Park and Joungmin Lee Comfort

In-Person: Tuesday, February 27, 2024 | 6:30 PM (EST)
Video Release: Monday, March 4, 2024


 The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

 

Join our membership program here!

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About the Speakers:

 

Soyoung Park majored in information and communication at university and has worked as a reporter. She is a winner of the Original Story Award and the Changbi X Kakaopage Young Adult Novel Award. She’s the author of the Snowglobe duology.

Joungmin Lee Comfort is a Korean–English translator based in the United States. Her translations have appeared in academic journals and Clarkesworld Magazine. Her recent publication of Kim Bo-young’s On the Origin of Species and Other Stories (co-translated with Sora Kim-Russell) was longlisted for the National Book Award for translated literature.

 

About the Moderator:
 

Kat Cho is the New York Times and international bestselling author of the Gumiho duology and Once Upon a K-Prom. She loves to incorporate her Korean heritage in her writing, especially if it involves describing food. She likes anything that encourages nerding out, including reading, K-dramas, K-pop and anime. Find her at KatChoWrites.com or say hi on TikTok and Instagram @katchowrites

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The Korean Cookbook with Chef Junghyun Park

Posted on by Yurim Oh

Photo by Peter Ash Lee

Acclaimed two-Michelin-starred chef Junghyun (JP) Park invites you to discover the delicious and joyful world of Korean cuisine known as Hansik. Together with Jungyoon Choi, globally renowned expert on Korean food, Chef Park presents an expansive and scholarly exploration of Korean cooking and proves that there is much more to celebrate about Korean fare than just barbecue. Following 10 years of in-depth research – and 20 years of friendship – Park and Choi have meticulously crafted the most comprehensive collection of Korean recipes in print today.

The Korean Cookbook published by Phaidon features more than 350 authentic recipes, originating from the high rises of Seoul to the volcanic beaches of Jeju Island. An incredible variety of deeply-researched dishes are carefully documented in this collection that spans 500 pages and includes 110 commissioned photographs shot in Korea by photographer Jinju Kang, an artist who works primarily on Hansik and Korean Art Cultures. Designed by Associate Studio, the book brings together the heritage of Korean paper making, Hanji, along with typographic structure melding together decorative window design with one of Korea’s most celebrated typographers Ahn Sang Soo. Richly illustrated and beautifully designed, The Korean Cookbook is the definitive culinary guide that captures the true essence of Hansik for readers around the world.

In this conversation at The Korea Society with Elyse Inamine, Chef Park speaks about his first book and career.

 

The Korean Cookbook with Chef Junghyun Park

Monday, November 13, 2023 | 6:30 PM (EST)


 The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

 

Join our membership program here!

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About the Speaker:

Junghyun (JP) Park is an acclaimed chef born and raised in Seoul. With his wife, Ellia Park, they run four restaurants in New York – Atoboy, Naro, Seoul Salon, and Atomix (2 Michelin stars, 3 stars from the New York Times). In 2022, Atomix received the Art of Hospitality Award from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and achieved No. 8 in World 50 Best 2023, the top restaurant in North America. In 2023, Park won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: New York State.

 

About the Moderator:

Elyse Inamine is a writer and editor in New York City. Previously, she was the restaurants editor at Bon Appétit, and has covered the restaurant industry on staff at Food & Wine and Tasting Table. Now she writes for the New York Times, Food & Wine, and more, and continues to work as a contributing editor at BA.

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A Very Asian Guide to Korean Food with Michelle Li Peter Serpico: Learning Korean with Eric Kim Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home with Eric Kim Korean Instant Pot Cooking

A Very Asian Guide to Korean Food

Posted on by Yurim Oh

 

Introduce children to Asian cuisine and the #VERYASIAN movement! Written by Michelle Li, A Very Asian Guide to Korean Food introduces young readers to classic and modern Korean dishes and provides fun facts about the foods and culture of Korea.

Michelle Li is an award-winning, veteran journalist and co-founder of the Very Asian Foundation. She started a global movement of unity with the viral hashtag #veryasian after she received a racist voicemail in response to her sharing on-air the Korean foods she eats. She is a vocal advocate for the Asian American community and brings this same pride and energy for her culture to her debut children’s book.

The book is the first in the Very Asian Guide series, a children’s book series that celebrates various Asian cuisines, and is published by Gloo Books, a new children’s book publishing company making books for a more inclusive, just and compassionate future.

Join us for a conversation with Michelle Li.

 

 

A Very Asian Guide to Korean Food with Michelle Li

Tuesday, January 24, 2023 | 6 PM (EST)


 The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

 

Join our membership program here!

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About the Speaker:

Michelle Li is an award-winning, veteran journalist who co-launched The Very Asian Foundation in January 2022 alongside friend and fellow journalist Gia Vang.

Her response to a racist voicemail became a global movement of unity and caught the attention of The Ellen Show. Ellen’s monetary gift of $15,000 helped start the seed money to create a non profit focused on shining a light on Asian experiences through advocacy and celebration.

Michelle spent many years supporting adoptees through heritage camps and volunteer tours to Korea. She also launched a program to support Missouri children in foster care. All of this led to a congressional award in 2010. Michelle’s journalistic work has been honored with a national Peabody Award, several national Murrows, and multiple regional Emmys– often dealing with race or gender inequities. Michelle has appeared on CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, and The Washington Post. A Very Asian Guide to Korean Food is her first children’s book.

Michelle currently resides in St. Louis with her family.

Peter Serpico: Learning Korean with Eric Kim

Posted on by Yurim Oh

 

A “wildly inventive” (Food & Wine) James Beard Award–winning chef interprets one of Asia’s greatest cuisines for the everyday eater.

Born in Seoul and raised in Maryland, Peter Serpico’s route to Korean food came long after making a name for himself in New York City restaurants. His first bites of marinated short ribs and black bean noodles tasted like home, and a love affair with the flavors and techniques of his birthplace began. Written with Drew Lazor, Serpico’s debut cookbook Learning Korean: Recipes for Home Cooking draws from his decades of professional cooking experience to elevate the greatest hits of at-home Korean dishes. In this insightful and endearing cookbook, new flavors, techniques, and ways to enjoy one of the world’s greatest cuisines are revealed by Serpico, chef and father.

In a conversation with Eric Kim, the New York Times bestselling author of Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home, Serpico discusses his career and his debut cookbook.

Learning Korean: Recipes for Home Cooking will be available for sale during the event. 

“Peter is simply one of the best chefs not because of his mastery of cooking or his uncanny sense of flavor. Peter is one of the best teachers I’ve ever known, always improving techniques and developing clever hacks. I’ve seen it with my own eyes turning many novice cooks into skilled professionals. It was simply a matter of time before he turned his attention to the foods of Korea. This book not only will teach you how to make delicious Korean food but to think like a world class chef.” – David Chang, Chef and Founder of Momofuku Restaurant Group

 

Peter Serpico: Learning Korean with Eric Kim
Hybrid Program

Thursday, May 19, 2022 | 6:30 PM (EDT)


 The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

 

Join our membership program here!

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About the Speaker:

 
Photo by Neal Santos
 

Born in Seoul, South Korea, PETER SERPICO was adopted when he was two years old, and was raised in Laurel, Maryland. Serpico graduated from the Baltimore International College Culinary School and his first cook job was at the Belmont Conference Center, where he worked under chef Rob Dunn. In 2006, Peter began as sous chef at the original Momofuku Noodle Bar in the East Village. For the next six years, Serpico worked with David Chang to open Momofuku Ssäm Bar and Momofuku Ko. As director of culinary operations, Serpico earned three stars from the New York Times, a James Beard Award, and two Michelin Stars, among other accolades. Serpico’s highly praised eponymous restaurant on South Street in Philadelphia opened in 2013. In 2022, Serpico and restaurant-partner Stephen Starr launched a revamp of Pod, a long-standing Philadelphia pan-Asian restaurant, as KPod, with a menu inspired by Serpico’s native South Korea. Serpico lives with his family in Philadelphia.

 

About the Moderator:

 
Photo by Jenny Huang
 

ERIC KIM is a New York Times staff writer born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and the author of Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home (Clarkson Potter, 2022). He worked his way through the literary and culinary world to eventually become a digital manager at Food Network and a senior editor at Food52, where he amassed a devoted readership for his “Table for One” column. He now hosts regular videos on NYT Cooking’s YouTube channel and writes a monthly column for The New York Times Magazine. A former contributing editor at Saveur, Eric taught writing and literature at Columbia University, and his work has been featured in The Washington Post, Bon Appétit, and Food & Wine. He lives with his rescue pup, Quentin Compson, in New York City.

Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home with Eric Kim

Posted on by Yurim Oh

Photo by Jenny Huang. Prop Stylist: Beatrice Chastka. Food Stylist: Tyna Hoang.

New York Times staff writer Eric Kim grew up in Atlanta, the son of two Korean immigrants. Food has always been central to his story, from Friday-night Korean barbecue with his family to hybridized Korean-ish meals for one that he makes in his tiny New York City apartment. In his debut cookbook, Kim shares these recipes alongside insightful, touching stories and stunning images shot by photographer Jenny Huang. Playful, poignant, and vulnerable, Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home explores how new culinary traditions can be forged to honor both your past and your present.

In a conversation with Irene Yoo, Kim discusses his career in food writing and his debut cookbook.

Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home will be available for sale during the event. Kim will sign copies after the conversations.

“This is such an important book: an enquiry into identity, and a rich repository of memories and deliciousness. And, as deeply personal as it is, it invites everyone into the kitchen with such brio. I savored every word and want to cook every recipe!” —Nigella Lawson, author of Cook, Eat, Repeat

“Eric’s book is wonderful. Every page shows his personality and good taste, and the recipes are inventive, fun, and traditional all at the same time! Very Korean and very American—with lots of kimchi.” —Maangchi, author of Maangchi’s Big Book of Korean Cooking

 

 

Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home with Eric Kim
Hybrid Program

Tuesday, March 29, 2022 | 6:30 PM (EDT)


 The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

 

Join our membership program here!

email iconE-News sign-up

 

 

About the Speaker:

 
Photo by Jenny Huang
 

ERIC KIM is a New York Times staff writer born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and the author of Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home (Clarkson Potter, 2022). He worked his way through the literary and culinary world to eventually become a digital manager at Food Network and a senior editor at Food52, where he amassed a devoted readership for his “Table for One” column. He now hosts regular videos on NYT Cooking’s YouTube channel and writes a monthly column for The New York Times Magazine. A former contributing editor at Saveur, Eric taught writing and literature at Columbia University, and his work has been featured in The Washington Post, Bon Appétit, and Food & Wine. He lives with his rescue pup, Quentin Compson, in New York City.

 

About the Moderator:

 
Photo by Nick Surette
 

IRENE YOO is the chef and creator of Yooeating, a Korean American food channel that explores Korean home cooking, street food, and culinary history. She has developed recipes and penned essays for Food52, Food Network, and Bon Appetit, and previously presented about Korean culinary history at The Korea Society and The Museum of Food and Drink. You can follow her on Instagram @yooeating.

Korean Instant Pot Cooking

Posted on by Yurim Oh

Photo Credit: Nancy Cho

There is a new and easy way to cook Korean food at home!

Recipe developers Nancy Cho and Selina Lee learned to make Korean food from their mothers and grandmothers. For Nancy, this transpired in her family’s kitchen in California suburbs, while Selina’s experience came from growing up in Seoul, Korea. Together, they set out to explore their Korean heritage, family experiences, and cherished dishes from their childhood to the present. In the Korean Instant Pot Cookbook, they share over 90 recipes, tested and translated for preparation in the Instant Pot – all while maintaining the flavors and foundational traditions of Korean cuisine.

Nancy and Selina share their stories and demonstrate a recipe featured in their cookbook.

“You can feel the love the authors have not only for the cuisine, but for the culture of Korea. This book is a great find for the busy person who wants to cook Korean food on a regular basis, without the hassle of doing a lot of dishes!” – Hooni Kim, Michelin-star chef and author of My Korea.

 

Click here to order the book.

 

Korean Instant Pot Cooking

Wednesday, January 19, 2022 | 5 PM (ET)


 The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

 

Join our membership program here!

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ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:

 

Nancy Cho followed her passion for art and food as an editor and recipe developer for Anthology magazine, where she sought flavors and ingredients inspired by memories of her childhood. She is the author of The Easy Asian Cookbook for Slow Cookers, a cookbook featuring recipes of East, Southeast, and South Asian cuisines for slow cookers. Nancy also works as a photographer and stylist and has photographed several books and cookbooks for clients such as Penguin Random House. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and son.

 
 

Selina Lee was born in Seoul, Korea, and moved to the U.S. with her family when she was a teenager. Growing up, she had an interest in art and studied graphic design. She worked at Korea Central Daily as an advertising designer and worked for Lionbridge Technologies, Inc. as a senior publishing manager. Looking for a way to engage her growing interest in Korean cooking, she launched a series of in-person classes called Banchan Workshop in 2014. That interest developed into a deep passion and she decided to pursue a career in food. Currently, she is working as a menu/recipe developer for local restaurants and food companies. She lives in Oakland, California with her husband and two teenage boys.

 

Hot! Hot! Hot! Korean Food in the Age of Kpop

Posted on by Yurim Oh

 

Once considered a dubious cuisine relegated to the “ethnic food” category, Korean food is now hotter than ever in the United States and beyond. Ingredients like gochugaru and gochujang show up on menus of American fast food chains and local grocery aisles, while Korean cooking shows and meokbang videos have become a genre of their own on streaming platforms and social media, such as Netflix and YouTube. Today, KFC also stands for Korean Fried Chicken and the noodle dish jjapaguri from the Oscar-winning movie Parasite has its own Wikipedia entry.

Professor Robert Ji-Song Ku explores the rising popularity, appreciation, and appropriation of Korean food around the world and particularly in the United States, and its relationship to the global proliferation of Korean popular culture, a phenomenon commonly known as hallyu, the Korean Wave.

 

 

Hot! Hot! Hot! Korean Food in the Age of Kpop

Thursday, April 8, 2021 | 6 PM (EDT)

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

 

Join our membership program here!

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Robert Ji-Song Ku is Associate Professor of Asian and Asian American Studies at Binghamton University of the State University of New York. His research and teaching interests include Asian American studies, food studies, and transnational and diasporic Korean popular culture. He is the author of Dubious Gastronomy: Eating Asian in the USA (University of Hawaii Press, 2014) and co-editor of Future Yet to Come: Sociotechnical Imaginaries in Modern Korea (University of Hawaii Press, forthcoming 2021), Pop Empires: Transnational and Diasporic Flows of India and Korea (University of Hawaii Press, 2019), and Eating Asian America: A Food Studies Reader (New York University Press, 2013).

 

 

The Korean Art of Fermentation

Posted on by Yurim Oh

Speaker’s Photo by Nick Surett nicksurette.com

There is a long and illustrious history of fermentation in Korean cuisine. Different types of fermented food – doenjang, ganjang, gochujang, and kimchi to name just a few – are integral and essential to the Korean way of eating and cooking.

Join Irene Yoo as she provides an overview of Korean art of fermentation and tips on how to incorporate Korean fermented food in your everyday cooking.

 

The Korean Art of Fermentation

Thursday, March 25, 2021 | 6 PM (EDT)

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

 

Join our membership program here!

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Irene Yoo is the founder/chef of Yooeating, a Korean American comfort food popup that highlights Korean home-cooking, street food, and drinking culture. She has written and developed recipes for Food52, Food Network, and Gothamist among many others.

 

 

Restaurants in the Covid-19 Era: A Roundtable

Posted on by Yurim Oh

Photo by Amina Ford www.aminaford.com

Since the pandemic started, restaurant and food service businesses had to combine flexibility and ingenuity in order to survive. Constantly dealing with ever-changing regulations and restrictions, restaurateurs had to quickly pivot and develop new business models, including outdoor dining and shipping nationwide.

Join us for a roundtable conversation with three Korean American restaurateurs in New York – Christina Jang of New Wonjo; Simon Kim of Cote; and Ray Park of Red Poke – as they discuss the challenges they face during the pandemic and the future of restaurants.

 

 

Restaurants in the Covid-19 Era: A Roundtable

Thursday, March 4, 2021 | 6 PM (EST)

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

 

Join our membership program here!

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ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:

Christina Jang is the owner and operator of New Wonjo, a Korean barbeque restaurant in the heart of Koreatown in New York City. newwonjo.com

Simon Kim is the Proprietor of COTE Korean Steakhouse, New York City’s first KOREAN STEAKHOUSE™, and COTE Miami – now open in Miami’s Design District. www.cotenyc.com & cotemiami.com

Ray Park is the founder of Red Poke, a Korean fast casual restaurant in New York, and Pado, which will be relocated to Williamsburg. His new Korean fried chicken restaurant Seoul Fried Chicken Co. is opening in Edison, NJ. www.redpoke.com; www.padonyc.com; www.sfc-co.com