'This Tastes GREAT' event introduces British cuisine
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Chef Lee Song-hee’s Shepherd’s pie
“What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of British food?”
“Fish and chips!”
A press conference for the “This Tastes GREAT” event was held Sept. 22 in My Ssong, a casual American restaurant located in Sinsa-dong. British Embassy Seoul has partnered up with three restaurants, My Ssong, Bulldogs and Behind Yellow, for a campaign running from Sept. 22 to Oct. 12 to promote British food in Korea.
Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy Seoul, Andrew Dalgleish, asked reporters the above question, to which everyone unanimously shouted “fish and chips!”
Mr. Dalgleish expressed hopes that the event will be an opportunity for the younger Korean generation to recognize Britain as a modern, technologically developed place with much to offer, especially in the food sector.
He commented that British food is about “diversity and freshness –fresh locally sourced, sustainable food that tastes great.” In South Korea, UK food exports recorded 810 billion KRW in 2012, nearly triple the amount from previous year.
The representatives from each restaurant came up and talked briefly about their signature menus.
Chef Lee Song-hee of My Ssong introduced three dishes: the Sinsa Briton’s Shepherd’s Pie, Bangers and Mash and Jammy Breakfast Biscuit. Fascinated by the depth in taste from a simple presentation of English cuisines, Lee decided to participate in the campaign. The reporters were given the opportunity to taste Lee’s version of the English comfort food, Shepherd’s Pie. The presentation was minimalistic, yet exquisite. Mashed potato and macaroni were immersed in gravy, tomato sauce and melted English cheddar cheese. The taste was even better than the presentation. The sausage that Lee had praised was from Gavin’s Sausage, which specializes in producing authentic English sausage fit for Korean taste buds. The softness of the cheese and mashed potatoes and the chewiness of the sausage and macaroni all came together in a fantastic, savory harmony.
Thomas Chambers, Bulldogs’ CEO, sought to create modern British food with a twist in his three dishes, Steak and Ale Pie, Earl Grey Tea White Chocolate Mousse and Breakfast Martini. He came up with the concept of Earl Grey Tea White Chocolate Mousse while thinking about how to incorporate the widely recognized British tea into his dishes. For the breakfast martini, which is usually made of orange marmalade, he used raspberry and cranberry jam instead.
Behind Yellow has only been open for a couple of months so this participation was especially meaningful. The British restaurant wanted to provoke customers to ask, “Is this really British food?” The three dishes introduced were Chicken Tikka Masala, Fish & Chips and Tanqueray Tonic and Tea. While many assume Chicken Tikka Masala to have originated from India, it was in fact started in the UK. The Fish & Chips has been spiced up with chili powder for a hint of Korean-ness.
Check out one of these restaurants and join in on the special celebration of British food. My Ssong Sept. 23 – Sept. 28, Bulldogs Sept. 29 – Oct. 5, Behind Yellow Oct. 6 – Oct. 12.