YOU’VE learned how to dance Gangnam style through Korean superstar Psy’s phenomenal hit song. Now it’s time to discover the flavors of Gangnam in Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria’s Discover Gangnam at Seven Corners, a Korean food promotion that is ongoing at the hotel’s Seven Corners Restaurant until January 19, 2014.
The Korean foodfest lets diners in on the fascinating dining culture of Gangnam, one of the most popular places in Korea. Located in Seoul, it is filled with great energy, people on the go, expensive designer stores, Korean superstars and exotic food. The place is replete with street food stands, bars and restaurants, which both locals and tourists patronize.
Held in partnership with Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas, InterContinental Seoul COEX, Korean Cultural Center and Korea Agro Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation, the Korean foodfest features three award-winning Korean guest chefs – Kang Jiyoung, Lee Seung Ho and Yoon Taekoo – and a mixologist, Kim Hyung-Gyun.
Kang Jiyoung is Chef de Partie-Entremetier and Garde Manger at Table 34, a topnotch French restaurant at Grand InterContinental Parnas Seoul. She trained at L’Auberge de Fond Rose, Lyon, France, under Michelin chef Gerard Vignat, and has worked with several other Michelin chefs. She is also a sommelier, with notable skill in wine tasting and pairing, and has won several competitions, including a Gold Medal from the 2009 MLA Black Box Culinary Challenge in South Korea and First Place in the 2012 Master Chef Competition in the InterContinental Hotel.
Lee Seung Ho is part of the team that is responsible for the kitchen operations of 17 function rooms of the Grand InterContinetal Parnas Seoul. A seasoned Banquet Chef who has worked for different five-star hotels in Seoul, Korea, for the past 19 years, he specializes in Korean cuisine and is knowledgeable in traditional and modern interpretations of Cold, Grill, Hot and Noodle dishes.
Yoon Taekoo is a banquet chef team leader at InterContinental Seoul COEX for the past 14 years and is an experienced chef for 24 years now. He is a veteran in all sections of the banquet kitchen – from Korean to Japanese, Chinese, Cold, Lobby Lounge and Butchery. He has received several awards, such as the Grand Prize in the 2009 Black Box Culinary Competition and a Silver Medal in the 2003 Seoul International Culinary Competition.
Kim Hyung-Gyun is a professional mixologist from The Brasserie Restaurant in InterContinental Seoul COEX. Backed by 18 years of experience in the Food and Beverage Department, he is a licensed mixologist and has received a certificate in Cocktail Secret Institute. His deep knowledge of beverage concoctions has landed him a Second Place in a cocktail contest hosted by InterContinental Seoul COEX.
While the Korean foodfest at Crowne PlazaManila Galleria gives diners a taste of the flavors of Gangnam, on a larger scale it features an array of quintessential Korean dishes spread throughout the seven live cooking stations of Seven Corners. These signature Korean dishes include the iconic Haemol Japchae (stir-fried noodle dish made with sweet potatoes, sesame oil and fresh vegetables), Ggalbi Jim (braised short rib stew with mouth-watering sauce typically served during holidays and special occasions), and Korean Barbecue (thinly sliced meat with a smoky sweet flavor when broiled or cooked on the grill and is usually eaten with lettuce wraps and spicy red pepper paste), among others.
During the media lunch held yesterday (January 8, 2014) at Seven Corners to introduce the Korean food promotion, Crowne Plaza’s Executive Chef Angelo Faoro introduced the Korean guest chefs, who took the challenge of plating seven Korean dishes for individual service: Naeng Chae (Korean seafood cold dish), Japchae (stir-fried sweet potato noodles with vegetables and green herb sauce), Sam Gae Tang (chicken roulade soup with glutinous rice, ginseng, chestnuts and dates), Kalbi Gui (grilled marinated beef tenderloin with kalbi sauce and squash puree), Bibimbap (steamed rice topped with beef, sautéed vegetables and chili paste sauce), Janchi Guksu (boiled wheat noodles in light broth with kimchi and seaweed), and Hangwa (traditional Korean rice cookies, rice punch and fruits).
The Naeng Chae can pass for any Western appetizer, as it is shrimp combined with scallop served with a small amount of micro greens. The Japchae is as good as Filipinos know Japchae to be, but, for the media lunch, it was presented in a most unconventional way – wrapped in a pouch of rice paper tied with a scallion or spring onion. The Sam Gae Tang is painstakingly prepared, with glutinous rice, ginseng, chestnuts and dates wrapped in chicken breast, cooked, sliced, placed in soup bowl and served, with soup poured into the bowl at tableside. The Kalbi Gui satisfies diners’ taste for meat and shows how heavy on beef Korean cuisine is. The Bibimbap is a typical Korean “rice topping” dish as we know it, with diners deciding on how spicy they want their food to be with how much chili paste they add into it. The Janchi Guksu is refreshingly light, while the Hangwa proves that Korean dessert is not limited to Melona ice cream sticks.
Reminder for those who want to try authentic Korean food prepared by Korean chefs: The Korean food festival at Crowne Plaza’s Seven Corners is ongoing until January 19, 2014.
(Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria is located at the corner of Ortigas Ave. and Asian Development Bank Ave., Quezon City. For inquiries or reservations re the Korean food promotion, call 633-7222.)
