As the country of gastronomy, wine pairing—the practice of matching wine with complementary foods—is an everyday part of French culinary culture. Due to a favorable climate for grape cultivation and early advancements in agricultural techniques, France is home to many world-renowned wine regions. One restaurant has adopted this wine-pairing culture and combined it with Korean cuisine. This special restaurant is Ma-shi-ta.
With a grand opening in 2021, Ma-shi-ta is a Korean restaurant in the 14th arrondissement (district) of Paris, owned by CEO Joung Gi-beom, a travel writer, and his wife, Chef Kim Sook-hyun, a former in-flight interpreter for Air France. With a diverse menu that includes spicy stir-fried pork, bulgogi, and japchae, Ma-shi-ta is famous for its individual wine pairings. In 2023, Ma-shi-ta was one of five restaurants chosen for the “Best Overseas Korean Restaurants” by the South Korean government. Joung participated in an email interview with ChosunBiz, sharing his experiences with Ma-shi-ta.
The Synergy Between Korean Ingredients and Wine
Ma-shi-ta began from Joung’s desire for a proper Korean restaurant in Paris. “Writing about food and travel allowed me to experience diverse cultures around the world. Through those experiences, I realized the global impact behind a single dish, which led me to dream of starting a Korean restaurant here in Paris.” He noted that while the increasing popularity of K-pop and K-drama has stimulated the expansion of Korean restaurants in Paris, only a handful are run by Korean chefs.
The couple, fueled by their wish to create “delectable Korean food,” named their restaurant Ma-shi-ta, which means “yummy” in Korean. To maintain premium quality control, all dishes are prepared after the order is placed, and high-quality ingredients are sourced from Korea. At Ma-shi-ta, maekjeok, grilled pork marinated in fermented soybean paste (doenjang), is made with muryangsu doenjang, which provides a smoother, richer, and more refined flavor compared to regular doenjang. This is the same one used at the three-star Michelin restaurant MOSU Seoul. In addition, Ma-shi-ta uses the same gamtae, a gourmet seaweed, as the two-Michelin-star restaurant KwonSookSoo, and sources kimchi from the queen of kimchi, Kwang Hee “Mama” Park.
Dining at Ma-shi-ta immerses visitors in the beauty of Korean culture. The signature dish japchae, sweet potato starch noodles stir-fried with vegetables and meat, is delicately wrapped in paper and tied with a string to mimic the look of a bojagi, a traditional Korean cloth symbolizing the intention to present the food as a gift. Trou normand, a traditional dessert originating from the Normandy region of France, is served with a twist. Instead of calvados and sorbet, Ma-shi-ta uses damsoul, a Korean liquor with a distinctive pine flavor, and yuja-flavored ice cream. Ma-shi-ta also offers other desserts like yullan, a chestnut-based dessert first introduced by culinary researcher Hong Sung-ran, and gaeseong yakgwa, a traditional honey cookie.
Another point of pride for Ma-shi-ta is its extensive wine list. Joung explained, “Finding French wine that pairs well with Korean food was a priority from the beginning. We invited wine producers we met at wine expos to our restaurant. They tried different combinations of wine and Korean food, and we updated our list accordingly.” Joung elaborated that greasier foods like dakgangjeong, sweet crispy Korean fried chicken, or japchae pair well with festive Alsace Riesling wine or citrusy Loire Valley wine. Savory dishes like jeyuk bokkeum, spicy marinated pork, pair well with red wines from the Rhône region of France, which are said to taste like the sea.
Expanding the Pairing List With Traditional Liquor
Ma-shi-ta was not an instant hit in the community. Joung recalled, “Opening the restaurant in the 14th arrondissement, which is a residential area of Paris, came with many difficulties. Business started to pick up when word of mouth spread. We’ve solidified our footing as a tasty Korean restaurant in the 14th district of Paris, garnering an average 4.9/5-star rating on Google Maps.” Joung mentioned that over 70% of their current customers are French locals, some of whom have even traveled to South Korea to taste more authentic Korean cuisine.
Joung reiterates how Ma-shi-ta serves as a catalyst to spread not only Korean cuisine but also Korean culture. Hung on the walls of the restaurant are artworks by Korean artists Lee Bae and Nam Tchun Mo. Near the end of 2024, the restaurant used part of their space to display designs featuring various Korean foods from Korea’s leading infographic company, Infographics Lab 203. “It is in our best interest to continue hosting small exhibitions to showcase Korean cuisine, artists, and landscapes,” Joung promised.
As of late, Ma-shi-ta is experimenting with traditional Korean liquor to add to its wine-pairing list. Though the selection is smaller compared to the existing wine list, tteokgalbi, seasoned grilled short-rib patties, is paired with igangju, and braised short ribs are served with damsoul. “Taxes, costs, and efficiency are all factors hindering the smooth sale of Korean traditional liquor,” Joung said. “But recently, we had the opportunity to meet producers of Elleyeoppyunjoo, natural rice wine, Jinmaek Soju, and Andong Soju. Beginning in March, we are anticipating an enhancement to our pairing list.”
Joung also revealed plans to open a second location for Ma-shi-ta. The second branch will emphasize the spread of Korean culture and “have completely different concepts.” Through pop-up events with Tongyeong chefs, Joung looks forward to “engaging with more Korean chefs to deliver a diverse Korean palette to the French.”
