Hotel chef Kim Jae-ho cooks North Korean food to honor his grandmother

Chef Kim Jae-ho, the only Korean contestant in the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition, showcased his heritage through a North Korean dish inspired by his grandmother.

Korean chef Kim Jae-ho cooked kkwong baegsuk, a pheasant breast stuffed with glutinous rice and barley, that he dubbed “Grandmother’s Pheasant" during the S. Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition's Asia regionals at International Culinary Institute in Hong Kong [S.PELLEGRINO YOUNG CHEF ACADEMY COMPETITION]

HONG KONG — Up-and-coming chef Kim Jae-ho, 26, is usually behind the grill at Andaz Seoul Gangnam’s Meat & Co. Steakhouse. But when the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition asked for his signature dish, he chose to cook something more personal and traditional: North Korean cuisine.

“When I thought about the dish that best represented me, I automatically thought of my grandmother, who is North Korean but came to South Korea as a refugee during the Korean War [1950-53],” he told the Korea JoongAng Daily on Monday at The Murray hotel in Hong Kong. “She raised me, and I knew that I needed to incorporate those flavors for this competition's dish.”

Kim was one of 10 chefs younger than 30 who were chosen to compete in the S. Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition’s Asia regionals, which had taken place in Hong Kong earlier that day. Kim, the only Korean in the race, took on opponents from Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, the Maldives and Indonesia.

The 10 young chefs who competed in S. Pellegrino's Young Chef Academy Competition pose for a photo after the awards ceremony at The Murray Hong Kong on Monday. Korean chef Kim Jae-ho stands third from the right. [S.PELLEGRINO YOUNG CHEF ACADEMY]

He did not win; Ardy Ferguson from Hong Kong's Michelin-starred restaurant Belon will represent Asia in next year's grand final in Milan, Italy, taking on winners from 14 other regions. Kim, nevertheless, put up an impressive fight with a unique dish that displayed technical finesse. Most of all, his food was full of heart.

“This dish, by my grandmother, used to make my day when I was a child,” he told the judges in English during the competition in a nervous yet sincere speech. “Looking back, I am sure that what she put on the plate was not just food but priceless love. I hope my childhood memories can be shared with you.”

Kim presented kkwong baegsuk, a pheasant breast stuffed with glutinous rice and barley, which he dubbed “Grandmother’s Pheasant.” The panel, comprised of Asia's top chefs, including Vicky Cheng of Hong Kong's Wing, Richie Lin of Taiwan's Mume and Johanne Siy of Singapore's Lolla, appeared surprised by his main protein.

Pheasant isn't commonly used in South Korea either; the bird is quite tricky to work with due to its gaminess. But Kim was determined to use it, studying the bird inside and out to master its inherent qualities and visiting nearly all the pheasant eateries in Seoul. “I believed it was the right choice because I knew that when cooked right, it can be absolutely delicious and rich,” he said.

Striving to minimize waste, Kim incorporated the leftover pheasant meat into his sides, which included pheasant-stuffed dumplings with acorn skin and a mini tart topped with seasoned pheasant, apples and cucumber.

The dishes were the product of eight straight months of rigorous practice, undertaken before and after Kim's day job at the five-star hotel. “I felt a lot of pressure to perform well as the only Korean in the competition,” he said. “I wanted to give my all so that I would have no regrets.”

Kim has been cooking since he was in high school and has a degree in hotel culinary arts. Before starting at Andaz Seoul Gangnam, he briefly cooked at The Shilla Seoul in Jung District, central Seoul.

Cooking in a different country presented unexpected difficulties, including a language barrier and subpar ingredients. But the young chef was a good sport throughout and was, above all, grateful.

“I am thankful to have come this far in the competition and to have the opportunity to represent Korea,” he said. “It was also incredibly meaningful for me to have cooked and been introduced to grandmother’s flavors and North Korean cuisine.”

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]