Traveling to foreign lands can be an exciting and exhilarating experience for all of us. However, what truly makes these moments unforgettable is the pleasure of indulging in exceptional cuisine. Seoul, the capital city of South Korea, is now gaining recognition as one of the world’s premier travel destinations, beyond Asia. K-food, which stands for Korean cuisine, is also rising in popularity, aligned with K-pop and K-culture. ChosunBiz aims to introduce Michelin-starred restaurants in Seoul that offer a modern twist on traditional Korean cuisine. [Editor’s note]
Here’s a foreign chef deeply immersed in Korean food culture, named Joseph Lidgerwood. He said he became interested in Korean food culture after opening a pop-up restaurant in South Korea in 2016. At that time, he presented food reinterpreted with Korean ingredients like makgeolli and ginseng over five days in Hannam-dong.
Chef Lidgerwood has broad cooking experience in various regions, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and Scandinavia. The reason he was captivated by Korean cuisine lies in its unique ingredients.
He mentioned, “People from overseas would only think of kimchi and barbecue when it comes to Korean food, but other dishes are also excellent. It personally saddened me that, like French and Japanese cuisine, Korean cuisine has good ingredients and techniques, but those skills are known only within Korea.”
Chef Lidgerwood is reinterpreting various Korean ingredients in his own way. The menu at EVETT changes with the seasons, and traditional Korean methods like fermentation and using ‘Jang (Korean Sauce & Paste)’ are also important elements in the restaurant. He expressed, “Rather than just showcasing traditional Korean cuisine, I want to show the beauty of Korean ingredients also.”
Korean cuisine reinterpreted from a foreign perspective can also offer something new to Koreans. Chef Lidgerwood is exceptional at mixing familiar ingredients like doenjang (soybean paste) and gochujang (chilli paste) with unexpected ingredients. Strawberry gochujang and cherry doenjang are examples of this. It’s his untraditional approach of traditional Korean flavours that allows him to create unimaginable combinations and innovative creations.
Chef Lidgerwood is also working to develop Korean cuisine with his own touch. He has been learning how to make jang from artisan Ki Soon-do for over four years and is also brewing traditional Korean liquor himself. He has created a traditional liquor called ‘Oh My Gat’ and pairs it with his menu.
Chef Lidgerwood shared, “As spring is approaching, I am developing dishes using fresh herbs like doraji and spring greens. I want to widely promote the charm of unique ingredients from various regions of Korea.”
Please introduce yourself.
“My name is Joseph Lidgerwood. I was born in Tasmania, Australia, and have continued my culinary activities in London, the U.S., Scandinavia, and more. The reason I first came to Korea was in 2016. I ran a pop-up restaurant in Hannam-dong for a few weeks.”
What got you interested in Korean cuisine?
“There are many great dishes and ingredients in Korean cuisine that are still not widely known. I find this very regrettable. Korean cuisine is not far behind when compared to French and Japanese cuisine. Both of those countries have excellent ingredients and food techniques, and Korea is no different. Usually, when people think of Korean food, they only think of kimchi and barbecue, but dishes like soy sauce crab also have a charm that can appeal globally.”
What kind of restaurant is EVETT?
“I want to showcase Korean ingredients like sea squirt and doenjang in various ways. Our menu changes with the seasons. Also, ‘fermentation’ is one of the important elements in our cooking. Currently, we offer a 7-course menu for lunch and a 14-course menu for dinner. It’s difficult to consider us a traditional Korean food restaurant. Rather, think of us as a place that shows the beauty of Korean cuisine ingredients.”
I heard you’ve recently been fascinated by the charm of jang, like gochujang.
“I’ve been learning how to make jang from the artisan Ki Soon-do for over four years now. Korea’s jang is so unique that it’s hard to find its equivalent in the world’s food culture. Other countries have fermented food cultures, but Korea’s technique is very special. To make great jang, Korea’s soil, climate, and ingredients are all necessary. Also, jangs made in different regions all have their own unique flavors. For example, doenjang from Jeollanam-do, Jeju-do, and Gyeonggi-do all taste different.”
Have you created any menus using jang?
“I’ve made and used strawberry gochujang for jjondeugi a Korean snack food made of wheat flour and corn starch. I’ve also made cherry doenjang.”
Those combinations might be somewhat unfamiliar to Koreans.
“That might be the case. But I think strawberry gochujang is a real killer combination. Spicy and sweet go well together. Look at Thai food; there are many dishes with pineapple and chili. Cherry doenjang also goes very well when applied to a piece of meat. At EVETT, we pursue delicious new dishes rather than just making something new for the sake of it.”
How do you create new menus at EVETT?
“There are four criteria. First, we use Korean ingredients. Also, the flavor has to be good. Food technique is another important element. Additionally, the new menus we create must be innovative and creative.”
Are there any ingredients you recommend for each season?
“For spring, I recommend namul (a variety of seasoned herbal dishes made of edible grass or leaves), wild greens, bracken, and azaleas. At EVETT, you can also taste ribs using gorosoe (maple water) as a sauce. In summer, sea urchin, peaches, watermelon, and melon are good. Autumn is great for pine mushrooms and matsutake mushrooms. In winter, gamtae (Ecklonia cava) when the seawater is very cold is a delicacy.”
Have you been focusing on any ingredients at EVETT recently?
“As spring is approaching, we are preparing dishes using herbs like Aralia and spring cabbages. We are making dishes using fresh herbs.”
I heard you also make traditional Korean liquor yourself.
“That’s correct. I released it under the name ‘Oh my Gat.’ It’s a play on ‘Oh my God’ and Gat (a traditional Korean hat). It’s a sparkling champagne made to be used as an aperitif. What’s unique is that it was made with a syrup using magnolia. I also drew the picture on the ‘Oh my Gat’ label myself.”
What would you say to foreigners trying Korean food for the first time?
“Be open to new experiences. I also had ingredients I disliked when I first came to Korea. I found seaweed hard to eat at first, but now it’s one of my favorite ingredients. I think the charm of traveling is in trying new things. EVETT wants to reinterpret Korean food in a new way. If you want a wonderful experience, please visit us anytime.”
