The Korea Herald

Mar 23, 2011

BOSTON, Massachusetts (AFP) ― Seafood industry players from around the world grappled here Monday with ways to net the most elusive catch of all: a solution to the problem of feeding growing appetites with ever fewer fish.The annual International Boston Seafood Show gathered nearly 900 exhibitors from 130 countries including restaurant buyers and hotels, wholesalers, processors and brokers.With demand surging, they have the luxury of working in a booming market.The United States imports 83 perce
How bacon sizzled and people got sweet on cupcakes

Mar 23, 2011

NEW YORK, New York (AP) ―Bacon. It’s everywhere. U.S. fast food chain Wendy’s features it in the “Baconator” and Paula Deen crumbles it into quiche. Ditto for those deluxe cupcakes top-heavy with frosting. Is there a bakery or supermarket that doesn’t sell them?Bacon and cupcakes ― like sliders, bubble tea, popsicles, food trucks and chipotle ― have caught on from coast to coast.But how?Food fads
‘Masitda’ for Mamasita Mex bar, grill

Mar 21, 2011

Mexican restaurant fires up casual lunch menuFrom outside, Mexican bar and restaurant Mamasita looks like a posh, high-end establishment, located near the wealthy Cheongdam-dong shopping district in southern Seoul.The two-story building, tucked behind Bennigans at the Hakdong Intersection, has a spacious outdoor garden and a parking lot.Breaking with the stereotype that bistros in Cheongdam-dong a
Recession-racked shoppers still splash on buying organics

Mar 21, 2011

RALEIGH, N.C. ― For the past three years, American consumers have been on a shopping diet. They cut nonessentials from their shopping lists. They’ve made do. They’ve thought twice before buying.And yet, they’ve continued to open their wallets for natural and organic products.Many shoppers say that natural and organic items remain on their shopping lists because they’re concerned about their health
Coffee pods invade cafes

Mar 20, 2011

Do coffee capsules pose a threat to baristas?At first glance Apgujeong’s Cafe Italico looks like a run-of-the-mill coffee shop.The flagship store of this 20-outlet cafe franchise, however, is anything but average. Visitors will quickly notice the lack of baristas in the back whipping out cappuccinos. They will most likely blink when they see that the menu asks them to pay 500 won extra if they wan
Mar 20, 2011

Asian diners are still tucking into sushi at restaurants around the region despite fears that elevated radiation levels in Japan could reach the food chain and contaminate raw ingredients.In Taiwan’s Sushi Express chain, notices informed customers that all seafood was imported before Friday’s quake crippled two nuclear plants on Japan’s east coast sparking fires and explosions that resulted in radioactivity leaking.“The current supply and safety of Japanese food is normal,” reads a poster on the
The occasional carnivore: Flexitarian eaters finding they really can have it both ways

Mar 14, 2011

Identifying yourself as an eater used to be simple. You either ate meat, or you didn’t.Now? Maybe you eat meat, but only certain kinds or only on certain days ― or even certain hours. Or you don’t eat meat ― except when you do.If you’re not vegetarian or carnivore, what are you? The term “flexitarian” is catching on, although author Mark Bittman likes “smartly thought-out omnivore.”His most recent
Why rice is king of the Korean table

Mar 13, 2011

Quality grains boast serious pedigree, new varieties not far behindFor centuries, rice has reigned supreme at the Korean dining table, acting as an anchor to the traditional spread of banchan (Korean side dishes). In short, rice is crucial to the daily diet and is taken seriously here. Like wines, grains from certain regions are lauded above others. Rice aficionados even prefer specific varieties
Around the hotels

Mar 11, 2011

Lotte Hotel Seoul Lotte Hotel Seoul’s Chinese restaurant Toh Lim on the 37th floor has invited the executive chef Fung Chekeung of the two-Michelin-starred Chugoku Hanten Fureika and the owner chef Nakazo Tomizo of Chugoku Hanten Group to showcase the essence of Chinese cuisine on March 16 and 17. Chugoku Hanten Fureika’s nine-course lunch and dinner courses will include a special Chinese BBQ appe
As shoppers demand customization, companies say: Do it yourself

Mar 7, 2011

CHICAGO ― Blame it on Starbucks. Consumers seem to be looking for ways to personalize everything they buy. It’s not just picking apps for their phones, special touches for their shoes or music for their iPods, but down to customizing everything from mashed potatoes to the water they drink.Alexander Chernev, an associate professor of marketing at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, said co
Ferrum Tower, a foodie mecca

Mar 4, 2011

Four premium restaurants drawing gourmands, more outlets comingWhen Ferrum Tower opened last summer it looked every inch the slick office building. Slicing the firmament, this Dongkuk Steel-owned 28-story high skyscraper shouted corporate cool. Located flush up against shopping-and-tourist hotspot Myeongdong, the new addition soon started attracting rave reviews from bloggers. No, it wasn’t becaus
Korean restaurant chains should target China first: consultant

Mar 2, 2011

The Korean food chain industry is quickly expanding overseas on the back of growing global interest in Korean food in recent years.Korean restaurant chains, however, should realize that there are only two markets in the world to which they can successfully take Korean cuisine without much alternation, a U.S. hospitality consultant has said.“I’ve met many Korean government officials and I have advi
Cointreau wants hansik course for Le Cordon Bleu’s Korean campus

Feb 27, 2011

French chief believes Seoul ready for Michelin Red GuideHere for his bi-annual visit to Le Cordon Bleu’s Korean campus, Andre J. Cointreau ― president, CEO and MD of the prestigious culinary institution ― revealed a desire to change up the curriculum with a program devoted to Korean cuisine.“We have now opened a Thai cuisine classical cycle in Le Cordon Bleu,” Cointreau told The Korea Herald durin
Around the hotels

Feb 25, 2011

Sheraton Incheon HotelThe hotel has appointed Jeon Ha-ryong as its new executive chef of its Chinese restaurant, YUE. Prior to joining the hotel, he built his career in deluxe hotels in Seoul specializing in Chinese and Asian cuisine. Working for the Sheraton Incheon Hotel, Jeon said he will focus on introducing original tastes and recipes in Chinese cuisine. For reservations, call YUE at (032) 83
Do healthy soups lack flavor?

Feb 25, 2011

Vegetable soup hits the trifecta for a perfect winter meal: It’s hearty, healthful and hot.And for those without the time or energy for all that chopping and simmering, the canned soup aisle offers an array of effortless options. But are they delicious?We plucked five veggie soup brands from supermarket shelves and put them to a blind test. Nine tasters rated the soups on look, aroma, texture and,