CJ CheilJedang to launch Cuisine.K project to boost globalization of Korean food

Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Chung Hwang-keun, left, and Eun Seok Choi, CEO of CJ CheilJedang [Photo provided by Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs]

CJ CheilJedang Corp., the flagship food unit of South Korea’s CJ Group, has rolled up its sleeves to promote Korean food overseas by launching the “Cuisine.K” project.

The company announced Tuesday that it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on the collaboration of the Cuisine.K project that aims to nurture young talents in Korean cuisine.

The MoU was signed at the CJ Human Resources Center in Jung District, central Seoul.

Under the project, CJ CheilJedang will operate five programs, including the sponsorship of the Korean national team in international cooking competitions, the operations of Korean food pop-up restaurants, sponsorship of studies at prestigious cooking schools, and the launch of Korean food training programs.

“The global wave of Korean food is a golden opportunity to enhance the competitiveness of domestic agri-foods and expand exports,” said Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Chung Hwang-keun.

The Korean food giant will fund the expenses of activities, uniforms, and food ingredients for the Korean national team participating in the 2023 Korea International Cooking and Confectionery Competition scheduled from May 19 to 21.

The company will also offer a space for young chefs at its innovation hub INNO Play in Gangnam, southern Seoul. It will recruit young chefs interested in starting a business during the first half of this year and allow them to use the space for developing, cooking, and selling Korean food for three months.

The selected chefs will receive educational consultations and social media marketing support.

CJ CheilJedang will also select aspiring Korean chefs and provide them with scholarships and grants including tuition, airfare, and accommodation for studies at prestigious culinary schools in Europe and other countries.

The company will establish Korean food programs at famous global cooking schools to give foreign chefs interested in K-food the opportunity to study Korean food.

It will also open a two-day course on food ingredient research where applicants can learn about the use of food ingredients and the know-how of Korean food masters and famous chefs.

CJ CheilJedang is also planning to create an international Korean culinary school for people around the world to learn Korean food, just like Le Cordon Bleu of France.

CJ CheilJedang has been in the forefront in accelerating efforts to globalize Korean food.

It is recognized for opening the first K-food wave known as “K-Food Globalization 1.0” with its brand bibigo’s processed foods. The company raised more than 5 trillion won ($3.7 billion) in the sales of its seven global strategic products – dumplings, processed rice, chicken, sauce, kimchi, seaweed, and rolls - last year.

The Cuisine.K project is a strategy aimed at “K-Food Globalization 2.0” to nurture Korean chefs with global competitiveness for further penetration of Korean food in the daily lives of people across the world.

The efforts are supported by CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun who declared over 10 years ago that “we will make sure that people around the world enjoy Korean food at least once or twice a week.”

The Cuisine.K project was planned by Lee Sun-ho, the eldest son of Chairman Lee and head of CJ CheilJedang’s food growth promotion division.

“The Cuisine.K project is a product of our focus on further accelerating the globalization of Korean food,” Lee said. “It may be our future dream, but we will establish a Korean culinary school like Le Cordon Bleu where the world can learn about Korean food culture.”