Korean restaurants abroad Archives

Korean restaurants abroad

Time is an ingredient in Korean food

#12 in the series – challenges & innovations for Korean restaurants abroad

A conversation with owner and chef Sa Yong Kim at Bibimbab Cafe, London

Any creative process starts with observing. That’s precisely what Sa Yong Kim, chef and owner of Korean restaurant Bibimbab Cafe did. It’s how he drew his own conclusions about the essence of Korean food. And how he made decisions as to how he presents and introduces Korean cuisine to people from all over the world. It’s a heavy load to carry, but Mr. Kim sees it as his duty, and one he enjoys carrying every single day.

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A conversation with co-owner and chef Myung Keun Lee at Jalasan, Valencia

#11 in the series – challenges & innovations for Korean restaurants abroad

When you start interviewing individuals with the same job description but in different settings, you will evidently come across a lot of similarities: that introducing Korean food to another culture comes with many challenges, but also many rewards. That the Korean settlers’ taste changes with more time spent in their new home country, whether or not reflected in the food cooked at their restaurant. But you come to discover many unique stories as well. It wasn’t any different when we met the lovely couple behind Jalasan, a Korean restaurant in the sprawling city of Valencia, which is known for its paellas.

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A conversation with sisters Byung-Hi and Byung-Soon Lim at Arirang, Stockholm

#10 in the series – challenges & innovations for Korean restaurants abroad

“We’re not interested in carrying the Korean flag, but it’s important for us to give people good, tasty food in a nice, friendly atmosphere with traditional family recipes.”

On my recent trip to Sweden I had the pleasure of chatting with sisters Byung-Hi (the manager) and Byung-Soon (the chef) Lim at Korean restaurant Arirang in Stockholm. Family-owned since the restaurant’s establishment in 1975, it was in fact the first Korean restaurant to open in the whole of Scandinavia. In a very modest way, however, they point out that they didn’t really think of themselves as a restaurant at that time.

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A conversation with manager Rang Lee at Soban, Krefeld

#9 in the series – challenges & innovations for Korean restaurants abroad

“Authenticity does not exist.”

Off the beaten track, on the side road of a pedestrian shopping street, in a city of a little over 200,000 called Krefeld, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in the West of Germany, you will find a Korean restaurant called Soban (소반), which prepares the most beautiful and delicious traditional royal Korean food. You would not expect to find it there and you might easily overlook it if you are unfamiliar with Korean food, but it is there, and the city all the better for it.

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A conversation with manager Park at Gogi Matcha, Düsseldorf

#8 in the series – challenges & innovations for Korean restaurants abroad

“Koreans, no matter which country they visit, they want to eat Korean food.”

Last month I sat down with manager Park at the barbecue-focused Korean restaurant Gogi Matcha (고기 마차) in Düsseldorf to talk about authenticity and customer expectations.

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food and the stories behind it