Royal Korean Cuisine Showcased by Korean Food Foundation at this Year's New York Wine and Food Festival

NEW YORK, Oct. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Korean Food Foundation (KFF) will again make a stimulating presentation at this year's New York Wine and Food Festival, taking place October 16-18 at Pier 94 on the West Side of Manhattan, with ongoing displays of traditional Korean cuisine hosted by Korean-American chef Debbie Lee. KFF will operate booth 508, close to the main show entrance, from 12:00-6:00 p.m. each day of the three-day event.

This year the KFF will demonstrate the preparation of Gungjung-Dakjjim, a seasonal fall dish traditionally favored by Korean royalty, and recently popularized among wider Korean and American audiences (Gungjung Dakjjim is Korean for "royal braised chicken"). The origins of the dish date back thousands of years in Korean history, and can be traced to the Korean royal families' table and the ceremonies once used to honor sons-in-law. 

The KFF booth will also feature preparation of bone broth, historically a base for many traditional Korean dishes, and now appreciated by many as a standalone nutritional drink.

"The most important trend in Korean cooking today is the rediscovery of the origins of formal Korean cuisine," says Debbie Lee, who is based in Los Angeles and will demonstrate traditional food preparations at the KFF booth. "All the excitement around fusion and food trucks in the last decade owes its inspiration to the ingredients and recipes first created for Korea's emperors and their families thousands of years ago."

Ms. Lee, who is best known for her 2011 cookbook "Seoultown Kitchen" and is also a Korean food truck pioneer, predicts that formal Korean cuisine, known as hansik, will become increasingly popular in the U.S. as more Americans move beyond fusion and discover the longstanding traditional values behind modern Korean cooking. 

Classically trained in French cuisine, Ms. Lee sees similarities between royal cuisine and the "layers" and ceremonial builds that typify the finest French dining. Each element in the procession of a royal Korean cuisine meal, which can have up to 14 courses, has a narrative all its own steeped in Korea's 5,000-year-old history.

"Private parties in LA are asking for the full royal treatment - course after course, with the preparation and presentation as important as the food itself," Ms. Lee said. "It's exciting to see Korea's traditional cuisine begin to get the recognition it deserves.  Without Korea's rich culinary history, we wouldn't have the innovations that inspire so many fusion chefs and menus today."

The booth at the New York Wine and Food festival is one of the promotions sponsored worldwide by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) and the KFF, which manages programs in 11 countries designed to elevate awareness and understanding of Korea's longstanding culinary excellence.

About the Korean Food Foundation

Founded in 2010, the Korean Food Foundation was established by the Korean Government to share the rich culture of hansik, Korea's traditional cuisine, with the broader world outside Korea. Focusing on food legitimacy, discovery, and culture, the KFF defines the excellence of Korean food in accordance with the modern pallet. The KFF is currently building the infrastructure for globalizing Korean cuisine through a multitude of initiatives, including recommending high quality Korean restaurants, training chefs, and sponsoring promotional and educational programs worldwide.

SOURCE Korean Food Foundation

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