Food festival showcases Korean cuisine in Jakarta

Koo Jung Eun ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Fri, 07/04/2008 11:07 AM  |  Headlines

Rich in nutritional value and unique in taste, Korean cuisine has been embraced by diners across the world.

Kimchi is the most widely known Korean dish because of its health factor, with TIME magazine naming kimchi to its list of the Top 10 Healthiest Foods.

But there is so much more about Korean cuisine to be acknowledged and loved, said chef Moon Hwang of JW Marriott Seoul.

With Moon Hwang as guest chef, diners here have the choice to explore Korean cuisine at the Korean food festival being held at Sailendra Restaurant at the JW Marriott Hotel Jakarta. The event lasts until July 5.

The food festival combines the refinement and beauty of Korean traditions with hometown Korean flavors.

According to Ina Ilmiaviatta, marketing manager of JW Marriott Jakarta, more and more guests are asking for Korean cuisine.

"Kimchi has been a staple dish at the restaurant but guests wanted more," Ina said.

The main purpose of the event is to globalize traditional Korean cuisine. The festival is sponsored by the Jakarta International Korean School and Korean Women's Association, in cooperation with the Korean Embassy.

Sister hotel JW Marriott Seoul gladly sent a master chef, Moon Hwang, to oversee the festival. He has dedicated his time and skills to craft some of Korea's finest specialty dishes.

"Most people know about kimchi, but there is so much more to Korean cuisine. My purpose is to introduce other fabulous Korean dishes...," Moon Hwang said.

He said there is a huge difference between Korean and Indonesian cuisine. Therefore, he has had to be extra cautious when choosing which dishes to present on the buffet line.

"Since Indonesia has warmer weather, people in Indonesia are exposed to salty food," Moon said.

Therefore, he deliberately cooked the dishes slightly more salty in order to satisfy local tastes.

However, he was not afraid to use seasoning that is very strong in taste, such as dwen jang (traditional Korean soybean sauce) and gochu jang (spicy sauce), to enhance the dynamic and unique taste of the Korean cuisine.

Various Korean dishes are available, including bulgogi (grilled marinated beef), galbi (Korean barbecue), samgye tang (chicken soup with ginseng), bibim bab (rice bowl with beef and mixed vegetables), kimchi and assorted Korean rice cakes.

According to Moon Hwang, all the ingredients used were brought directly from Korea, which makes the dishes superbly fresh and "purely Korean".

Besides Korean specialty dishes, there was also a performance of traditional Korean folk songs, performed by the Korean school's children's choir.

The decorations add to the festive atmosphere.

Dim lights, soft aroma and calm music all contribute to a perfect dining experience.

-- The writer, a student at Seoul National University, is currently interning at The Jakarta Post.

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.