Embark on a delectable journey through South Korea with foodie Darley Newman. Explore temple cuisine’s spiritual roots at a renowned temple featured on Netflix’s “Chef’s Table.” Dive into Seoul’s sizzling Korean BBQ scene and its vibrant coffee culture. Savor masterful dishes from a three-Michelin-star chef. Then, discover the bustling seafood markets of Busan and meet a family with a 15-generation legacy of crafting traditional folk wine. This episode unveils the rich tapestry of Korean cuisine, leaving you with a profound appreciation for its diverse flavors.
Darley starts her culinary exploration in Seoul, visiting Forest Kitchen for a vegan dining experience. Here, Junho Moon delves into South Korea’s growing popularity of plant-based cuisine. Darley then indulges in traditional Korean BBQ at Dosan Hoikwan, where Jacob Lee shares why Korean BBQ is so popular.
Darley immerses herself in Seoul’s vibrant nightlife, including a noraebang session with popular YouTube creator Paul Hershberger from the “Tastes Seoul Good” YouTube channel. The next day, Mari Cho leads Darley around an authentic local market, trying pancakes, chicken, fried peppers, and even ice cream covered in torched marshmallow. Next, Darley steps into the Golden Piece with her translator and guide Aram Ro, trying a traditional pastry called Yakgwa.
From traditional sweets to coffee, Joe McPherson, owner of a local tour company called ZenKimchi, joins Darley for a coffee at Vers Cafe, discussing Seoul’s coffee and café culture. Inside this cafe with a garden theme, Joe shares why Koreans love coffee and why coffee shops with themes are so popular. The food tour continues at Mosu Seoul, a three-Michelin star restaurant with Chef Sung Anh, who shares the ethos behind his innovative abalone and popcorn rice recipes and his restaurant’s design. Darley wraps up her time in Seoul by the Han River with Aram for some convenience story Ramyeon at a location that is often seen in Korean Dramas.
The trip continues outside of Seoul on a road trip. Aram and Darley reveal why Korean rest stops are a great place to eat, en route to Darley’s temple stay experience at Baekyangsa Temple. Here, she’ll help viewers learn about Buddhist customs, meditation practices, and temple food. Darley dives into a cooking lesson with the venerable Jeong Kwan, exploring why fermentation is such a key part of the cooking process and Jeong Kwan’s favorite ingredients.
The seaside area of Busan is Darley’s final stop on our Korea food tour. In South Korea’s largest port city, she tries kimbap, french pastries, and milmyeon with local Elisha Park. Darley checks out Jagalchi Seafood Market, where you can pick your seafood downstairs and have it prepared and served upstairs in a restaurant area for a truly fresh seafood experience. Darley then learns the art of making Makgeoli, Korea’s traditional folk wine, from grand master Yoo Chung-gil.
Watch for “Travels wtih Darley: Korea for Foodies” on your local PBS station in March and April and streaming with Samsung, Roku, Apple and more with GoTraveler.
