B: Here’s some good news for gourmets, especially those who are big fans of Korean cuisine. The 2^nd Korean Gastronomy Week has begun at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi hotel, showcasing Korean flavors and ingredients.

A: The highlights of this year’s Gastronomy Week are exclusive recipes by Australian one-star Michelin chef Joseph Lidgerwood, who has a passion for one of the most vibrant food cultures in the world.

“Korean Gastronomy Week is basically we are chosen to work with a Korean chef to collaborate with recipes and menus that showcase unique and premium Korean produce. This year we’re working with chef Joseph from Seoul,” said Nguyen.

“We kind of have a very good connection, at the same time, have a good understanding about food, flavors, and ingredients, so when chef Joseph proposed his menu for us, it was relatively easy in the sense that we understood what he wanted, we understood his vision. At the same time, we know what our regular guests like. So, for us, it was quite a pleasant collaboration together,” he added.

A: The dishes on Chef Joseph’s special à la carte menu are inspired by popular Korean folktales. These include Liver Parfait with Assorted Namul Muchim, a foiegras parfait, inspired by the tale of a smart rabbit, that makes use of a variety of mountain herbs found in Korea.

A: Inspired by the same story, Gochujang Glazed Wagyu Beef & Paprika Crisps is a dish covered in fallen “autumn leaves” of sweet potato and paprika crisps atop Wagyu beef glazed with gochujang sauce on a bed of sweet potato mash.

B: These are very interesting and unique concepts. This is a chance to learn more about South Korean cuisine and culture. Chef Nguyen now talked about what impressed him most while preparing dishes for this Korean Gastronomy Week.

“The one thing that stands out is the focus on ingredients. We strived to get the best ingredients for this menu. For example, we tried to get the freshest halibut. The halibut comes in still fresh from Korea, still swimming, you know, still alive. The lobsters the same thing, still alive, still kicking. Everything is as fresh as can be and the highest quality it can be. So basically the first step is to get the freshest ingredients, the most premium products, and then we just simply executed the cooking technique and then it’s done. It’s quite basic,” said Nguyen.

“Most of the dishes that we have on the menu reflect the autumn season. So, for example, I think you mentioned the orange and the red. That dish, I think, is the beef dish, the wagyu sirloin. That dish really reflects on the fallen leaves during the autumn period. So, again, the dish itself showcases the sweet potato, and the paprika. And with the paprika, we make this tool, you can call it like a dehydrated crisp, and then we deep-fry the sweet potato to make a crisp. And from that we kind of give the effect of the leaves falling onto the plate,” said Nguyen.

B: It’s amazing! And for dessert there is Dalgona, a crackly, honeycomb-like candy popular in South Korea and prominently featured in the Netflix show “Squid Game”, which is enjoyed with marshmallow whip, chestnut ice cream, and  date compote.

A: The Korean Gastronomy Week menu is available at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi hotel at 15 Ngo Quyen street in Hanoi. The event will continue until the end of this month. Come, enjoy, and let us know your experience on our fan page: VOV5 English Service. Goodbye until next time.