Does “Jeyuk bokkeu” mean anything to you? If you are not a Korean citizen, it is natural not to. It is one of the most traditional dishes of Korean cuisine and it was with this delicacy that the student from the Algarve Hotel and Tourism School won over the jury’s taste buds and won first place in the Korean Gastronomy Competition.
The competition took place at the Porto Hotel and Tourism School on the 20th and 21st of November and involved 12 competitors, one representative from each of the 12 establishments in the Turismo de Portugal school network.
“Giving visibility and promoting Korean gastronomic culture in our country were the objectives of this competition, promoted by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea”, explains .
Each competitor was challenged to prepare a traditional Korean dish to which they had to imprint a mark of innovation or creativity.
The Algarve student recreated one of Korea’s most popular dishes, Jeyuk bokkeum, which consists of fried pork, both spicy and sweet, and which relies on the strong flavor imparted by the famous fermented sauces Gochujang (red pepper paste) and Ganjang (soy sauce ).
At just 17 years old and studying the 3rd year of the professional Kitchen and Confectionery Technician course, Rodrigo Pereira had much older and more experienced opponents and so the victory was a surprise.
“I was a little surprised. I tried my best but the truth is that until now I hadn’t had any contact with Korean food. It was a great experience, I got to know a different culture and new people. I realized that their cuisine is full of flavor and involves a lot of technique. This sparked my interest in Asian cuisine and is something I would like to study more”, says Rodrigo Pereira.
The Korean Gastronomy Competition takes place every year and is a true celebration of the sharing between Portugal and Korea. For students, it is a unique opportunity to ‘immerse themselves’ in a cultural and culinary reality that exists on the other side of the planet.
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