[Herald Interview] 'Korean cuisine should go premium'

Dressed casually in a black T-shirt, shorts, and sneakers, Chef Choi Jung-yoon greeted us at a cafe near Jung-gu, Seoul. Initially reserved, her face lit up when discussing the recent Netflix hit "Culinary Class Wars."

"I'm so glad the chefs are getting so much attention," she said, with her enthusiasm for the local food industry evident throughout the hour-long interview.

Choi, with over 26 years of experience as a chef and Korean cuisine researcher, founded Nanro, a community of chefs, restaurateurs, epicures and food industry experts in 2022. She explained that many of the chefs featured on the Netflix show are part of this community.

More officially, she holds the title of head chef at Korean food conglomerate Sempio's research center, focusing on the study of Korean cuisine. She is also co-author of the encyclopedic volume “The Korean Cookbook,” published by the internationally renowned Phaidon Press.

Her excitement about the Netflix show isn’t just from her personal connections to those on the show.

Choi believes that for Korean food to expand its global presence, proper recognition must be given to chefs themselves, citing how the French government honors culinary icon Alain Ducasse.

“I believe it's important to highlight chefs who can add more value to Korea's assets, such as its food culture and agricultural products,” she said.

Choi also shared that half of Nanro's 400 members come from diverse, non-culinary backgrounds such as film and K-pop.

"For Korean food to flourish globally, it must combine with other industries," she said. "Nanro hopes to be the accelerator for Korean cuisine."

When further discussing Korean food's global expansion, Choi suggested that Korean cuisine should follow the path taken by Japanese food, rather than Chinese or Thai. While all three cuisines have succeeded internationally, Choi noted that Japanese food has adopted a more premium approach.

"Sushi used to be street food. It went from being sold on the streets to becoming premium cuisine," she said. "In New York, the most expensive sushi restaurants charge $1,300 to $1,500 per meal. So, it's acceptable for mid-tier sushi restaurants to charge $500 to $600. But the most expensive Korean restaurant in New York, Atomix, offers a $380 tasting menu."

Choi emphasized that pricing shapes how people perceive the value of Korean food.

When asked about the drawbacks of focusing on a low-cost, widespread strategy, she replied, "It affects how much the chefs are paid."

"For example, if I were to work as a chef in Shanghai, while a French chef might earn 2 million won ($1,500), a Korean chef would only earn 1.2 million won," she explained.

Choi acknowledged that not every cuisine can adopt a premium strategy, even if desired. However, she believes that with Korean food's growing popularity and the dedicated efforts of Korean chefs, Korean cuisine now has an opportunity to embrace this approach.

"In New York, 11 Korean chefs have earned Michelin stars. That's rare. That's why I believe now is the golden time," she said.

During the interview, she also talked about what makes Korean food unique: its customizable nature.

"Korean food is fun and delectable. 'Fun' in the sense that it's customizable. Take banchan (side dishes), for instance — you can enjoy them in any style you want," she said. "What you decide to put together creates a completely different experience, even if you're sitting at the same table."

She added that even with Korean barbecue, which she believes is the most suitable for global expansion, there are many ways to enjoy it.

"At first, dip it in salt, then try ssamjang sauce. Later, enjoy it with onions and jangajji (pickled vegetables) or wrapped in ssam (lettuce or other vegetables)," she explained.

One of the concerns that she has about the Korean food industry is that it lacks educational institutions dedicated to nurturing the next generation of chefs.

"There are no schools focused on training new talent. That's why I think there should be institutions, like the Korea National University of Arts, but for chefs," she said, noting how the Korean film industry flourished after such schools were established.

While Choi said she isn't in a position to start a school herself, she has established a private institute through Nanro.

"I expect the number of Korean barbecue restaurants to grow, just like pizza and sushi restaurants did. And most Italian restaurants in Korea are run by Koreans who learned pizza-making skills in Italy," she said.

Choi believes chefs worldwide who want to open Korean barbecue restaurants will eventually want to learn Korean barbecue techniques from Korea.

"I wanted to create standards, like those of sommelier or barista certifications, so I've created a 'grill master' certification for Korean barbecue, setting standards for how it should be cooked," she added, referring to the license she developed for Korean barbecue chefs.

She also touched on the popularity of foods like the ultra spicy Buldak products, which have gained global attention on social media.

"I think that's part of Korean food culture," she said. "I asked young Koreans why they eat Buldak products, and they told me it's because they study a lot and don't get the chance to be active. For them, eating spicy noodles makes them sweat and relieves stress. It's the only way they can cope with it, and that's our reality."

Choi explained that these realities are naturally reflected in Korean dramas and social media, which have piqued international interest in Korean culture.

"It's like when you watch the Japanese show 'Midnight Diner' -- it makes you feel like you want to get off work and go for beer and sausages," she said.

Choi believes this kind of global expansion can coexist with the premium strategy she advocates.

"We should have a wide spectrum," she said. "Besides, it's happening naturally. No one forced it -- it became popular because we eat it."