Kimchi Cook-Off Event in France and the UK, May-June 2024
Jongga recently held an annual event, the Kimchi Cook-Off, where the global allure of Jongga’s Kimchi was showcased through exciting cooking competitions in France, the United Kingdom, and the USA. With the chance of winning £10,000 and 10.000€, respectively, in the UK and France’s competition events, the competitors had to create their own unique recipes integrating Jongga’s Kimchi into them. There were 364 applicants for France’s competition and 350 for the UK’s, with two competitors winning the UK’s and France’s shows.
Highlighting the Events
France: Olympic-Inspired Creativity
Preliminaries: May 16- June 2
Finals: Jun 11
As the Olympics, a sports festival that the world is paying attention to, will be held in Paris, France, this year, additional points were given to submitting Olympic-inspired recipes or decorations related to the Olympics. The competition was held at Le Cordon Bleu, an international network of hospitality and culinary schools teaching French haute cuisine, where chefs from various backgrounds presented innovative dishes with Jongga’s Kimchi. The highlight was Chef Hin Wai Liu’s winning dish—“’A Feast in the Colors of the Five Olympic Rings’” expressed with Kimchi Tartare, Monkfish, Rhubbarb Condiment, and Soy Sauce Broth.
UK: Fusion Cuisine at Its Best
Preliminaries: May 9 – 28
Finals: Jun 6
In the UK, the competition celebrated fusion cuisine. Participants showcased the adaptability of kimchi in diverse culinary traditions. Haydon Wong’s Potato Kimchi Croquette stood out, winning first place for its unique and delicious combination of textures and flavors. Furthermore, the special award, the Jongga Award, went to Chinese-British chef Chan Wing-Lee for his ‘Kimchi Semifreddo with Pineapple Salsa, Kimchi Crumb & Smoked Pancetta’.
Future Plans
Building on the success of these events, Jongga is planning more competitions and promotional activities in Europe. On October 12-13, 2024, a Kimchi Blast event – Kimjang workshop will be held at the Korean Expo France in Paris.
To learn more about two of Kimchi Blast’s annual events (Kimchi Cook-off and Kimjang workshop), follow Kimchi Cook-Off’s Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/kimchi.cookoff
Follow us on Instagram and stay tuned for more Jongga Europe updates: www.instagram.com/jongga_eu
