Chef Introduces Year’s Favorite Dishes
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Going over favorite episodes or incidents may be a good way to wrap up a year. For a hotel restaurant, the best way might be presenting some of the most popular dishes of the year.
The Korea Times looked into the most sold items of the Park Hyatt Seoul's signature restaurant, Cornerstone, and talked with the executive chef Stefano Di Salvo about them.
"Koreans tend to eat less salt and less spice. That was the most important thing in drawing up a menu. Other than that, they are very open and flexible to changes and it was easy to present different menus in different styles ― the hotel presents different menus according to seasonal changes," he said.
As he picked the hotel's best sellers or sold-out items, he said they had one thing in common. "The dishes are simple and unique but still maintain original characters that wow even the pickiest gourmets. Many of them are the hybrid of my favorite recipes and the season's best ingredients," he said. Such dishes had two merits ― the ingredients were fresh enough and cooking was easy enough to control the quality. "Maybe that's why they are loved," he said.
Di Salvo picked the crab cake with mango salsa, duck liver with persimmon chutney and goat cheese with bell pepper as the best entrees. The soft yet chewy texture of crab cake and Di Salvo's favorite ingredient duck liver make a deep and rich taste that rolled on the tongue. "People may find duck liver too rich and expensive for Koreans but I thought there could be other ways to enjoy it," he said.
A seafood soup with garlic dates back to his days in Tuscany, Italy. He presented the view of "when the seas met the bread" in the bowl of soup. From shrimps to clams and mussels, the soup represents the golden beach of his hometown with plenty of seafood. With toasted bread one can feel full but fresh at the same time.
The Australian lamb chop presented with asparagus rolled in pancetta, sweet potatoes and green peppercorn sauce is also one of the chef's favorite. Lamb, which wasn't really cherished by Koreans for quite a long time, became one of the most loved items. Asparagus rolled with Italian pancetta brings a fresh yet different taste ― the vegetable softens the rich flavor of the pork. "I feel quite proud that the dish was well received not only by foreign guests but also by Koreans," Di Salvo said.
The Australian Wagyu tenderloin with truffle cream cheese, roasted polenta, mushroom ragout and rich sauce is also a source of pride for Di Salvo. "It is a pity that Korean beef prices soared and we weren't able to use it anymore. The Australian beef is fine, too. The truffle cream, which brings a woody, deep and unique flavor, adds weight to the relatively soft texture of the meat," he said.
Di Salvo, highly accredited for his simple but sophisticated cuisine, has more things to show Koreans next year. One of his philosophies is to reflect the local food and its spirit to his pallet.
"I am a chef and I travel around the world. It is a privilege to come across various culture and cuisines that reflects the national spirit. It would be wrong to ignore them," he said.
The hotel spokeswoman Janet Lim said Di Salvo is passionate about introducing Korean berries, rice and many others to Western style desserts.
"Wait and see what will be listed next year," she said.