[15 Years of Korean Food Globalization: Mingoo Kang]
“Two Michelin-starred Korean restaurant” and “13th best restaurant in Asia.” These are the accolades that describe Mingles, a high-end Korean restaurant. Chef Mingoo Kang believes that the globalization of Korean food should start by promoting the fundamentals of Korean food, “Jang.” Jang refers to sauces in Korean cuisine, such as Ganjang (soy sauce) and gochujang (red pepper paste).
Chef Kang believes that Jang is “the essence of Korean food and the core of Korean food globalization.” His passion for Jang led him to publish a book, “Jang: The Soul of Korean Cooking,” in March. It is the first English-language cookbook dedicated to Jang.
-What is the role of Jang in the globalization of Korean food?
“Jang is a deeply rooted part of Korean cuisine. It’s what makes it endure beyond the trend. Interest in Korean food is growing around the world. People are curious about the deeper aspects of Korean food, such as how it is made and what Koreans value when cooking. Consequently, this will also increase interest in Jang, which is the core of Korean cuisine.”
-Can Jang be globalized?
“We had non-Korean customers taste traditional Hanshik Ganjang (Korean cuisine soy sauce) and Hanshik Doenjang (conventional soybean paste made with Korean yeast). They noticed the difference between the soy sauce and miso from the supermarket. Once they start to realize the difference, the demand for traditional Hanshik Ganjang and Doenjang will increase. Companies are also turning to our traditional methods instead of using Japanese koji for mass production.”
-The odor of Jang could be a matter of preference.
“It’s part of the globalization of Korean food. On the contrary, a well-made Jang does not have much odor. If we change it without losing our tradition, I think other fermented foods besides Jang can be attractive as well.”
-What differentiates them from Japanese soy sauce and miso?
“They should be called by their proper names like Ganjang and Doenjang, instead of Korean shoyu or Korean miso. One of the main purposes of publishing my cookbook was to distinguish how traditionally made Ganjang and Doenjang are different from Japanese shoyu and miso. People think it’s okay to use Japanese condiments alternatively when cooking Korean food. It’s not. It’s important to teach them that when cooking Korean food, you need to use Ganjang and Doenjang to get the right Korean flavor. It’s time to call it by its proper name, Doenjang Jjigae (stew), not Korean miso soup.”
-What made you write a cookbook on Jang?
“I think it’s impossible to cook Korean food without Jang. For the past 10 years, I’ve been thinking, ‘How can I introduce Jang differently and more diversely?’ This book is the result of those thoughts.”
-From your book, which recipes do you recommend the most?
“I made all the recipes and took all the photos myself. I love all the recipes, but the Cabbage Beef Doenjang Hot Pot stands out in my mind. I was writing the book two years ago, and my mother-in-law, who is now deceased, loved that dish.”
-Is Korean food globalization a passing trend?
“It’s a step toward becoming commonplace. I wrote the book to show that Korean food is not just a one-off but can be incorporated into other cultures. The book shows that Jang can be utilized in many dishes other than Korean. It also aims to make it a part of other people’s kitchen pantries.”
-Mingles is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
“Mingles is my alter ego. It’s hard to run a restaurant as a 100% owner-chef operation without a partner, but I’m grateful to have gained so much experience and gotten such good reviews that I’m able to write a book like this. I look forward to the next 20 or 30 years of hard work, and I’m sure there will be great things to come again.”
BY KYEONGJUN KIM, HOONSIK WOO [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
