Lotte invites ceramic art to dining table

A photo shows the full course of “Elegance of Korean Cuisine” at the Korean restaurant Mugunghwa of Lotte Hotel Seoul. Two ceramic artists Lee Yong-ho and Huh Sang-wook have collaborated in the project with their potteries. / Korea Times photo by Kim Se-jeong

By Kim Se-jeong

Presentation counts for much in our contemporary world.

How to show something is just as important as its contents. It is all about marketing.

This has been the traditional rule of thumb of the food industry.

Giving an appealing look to tasty food has been a major challenge for many chefs.

Based on this, some food artists were inspired to find a way of decorating and presenting food in a way that appeals to the palates.

Imagine a hotdog with hot puppy-shaped buns, with a sausage, cabbage and mustard inside.

“Elegance of Korean Cuisine” is the newest attempt by Mugunghwa, a Korean restaurant at Lotte Hotel Seoul, to satisfy the creative presentation demand of dinners.

Chun Duk-sang, the restaurant’s chef de cuisine, collaborates with ceramic artists towards this end.

Thanks to this collaboration, Chun and his team at the hotel have been able to put together artistic plates, bowls, and a container used in serving courses of the “Elegance of Korean Cuisine” package.

Thirteen different dishes are used, ranging from a thick container serving appetizer to a tray holding bowls of side dishes and rice.

Broiled mero for instance is served in a plate with a cartoonish fish illustration printed on it, designed by Huh Sang-wook, who also created a flower-shaped tray. The center of the tray has space for a small bowl to stand, making it look like a stamen of a flower.

Lee Young-ho’s white porcelains highlights the dishes they contain: bamboo shoot with persimmon sauce, a platter of different vegetable and a fruit punch.

The artists were thrilled about the new collaboration.

“It is an honor that my work was chosen by the No. 1 hotel in the country. And it is a way to recognize me as an artist. I am very happy about the project,” Huh said during a telephone interview with The Korea Times, Wednesday.

The chef and his team at the hotel discovered the artists and their works at a museum in Gyeonggi Province last year, which inspired the launch of this new project.

The serving dishes have also inspired the chef.

He created two new dishes for this initiative: fish dumplings, a zucchini wrapped in a layer of flatfish, and julienned bamboo shoot which has the chef’s patented mustard dressing sprinkled on it with persimmon sauce. There is a slight variation to the menu for lunch diners who do not have much time. The experimental event runs until the end of May.

This collaboration is a rare privilege for chefs like Chun working with a five-star hotel which provides them with additional resources.

Chun is a veteran chef specialized in Korean cuisine, joining the hotel in 1988.

He is now at the peak of his career, spearheading efforts to raise the profile of Korean cuisine internationally.

He has cooked for many dignitaries in the past 10 years. His most recent guest was U.S. President Barack Obama who was in town at the end of last month. Obama also previously tasted his food when he visited former President Lee Myung-bak. Wen Jiabao, the former Chinese premier, was also on the guest list in a state dinner, prepared by Chun.

Chun was always in the team preparing for international events, such as the G20 Summit in 2010 and the Nuclear Security Summit in 2012.

He also accompanied incumbent President Park Geun-hye to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland earlier this year when he was the head chef for the Korean cuisine promotion event on the sidelines of that global event.

Three reasons why one should try the menu

Chun Duk-sang, Mugunghwa’s chef de cuisine

Chef Chun offers three reasons why “Elegance of Korean Cuisine” is worth trying.

1. It gives diners an authentic experience.

“These dishes are small in number and received special care in their preparation, which adds flavor to the taste of the food,” the chef said, adding “The change of time has diversified the materials of dishes available in Korea. Yet, hand-made bowls and serving trays render an exquisite feel to diners.”

2. It’s not only good for the tongue but also for the eyes.

“Dining should be about pleasure. Not only by chewing your food that makes you feel happy, but also by enjoying what’s around the food.”

3. It is a way to preserve the tradition that is rapidly fading away.

“A match between the two is relatively common, yet its effect is at its maximum. This also confirmed my belief that Korean cuisine is best served with products made locally.”

The course costs 135,000 won per person, including tax and service charge. Lunch menu costs 100,000 won.

The restaurant is hosting a gala dinner on May 23, with a maximum of 20 guest seats available, during which different kinds of wine will be served on the dining table. The gala dinner will cost 330,000.

The promotional package will run until the end of May. For reservation and inquires, call 02-317-7061/7021.