[Weekend PICK] Celebrating Kimchi Day: Mama Kim’s Kitchen Brings Traditional Kimchi to Australia
Creatrip Team
4 months ago
Kim Sung-mi, founder of Mama Kim’s Kitchen, arrived in Australia in 1998 and started with a food truck before expanding into kimchi production. Her business focuses on traditional kimchi made with local Australian produce and select Korean ingredients (e.g., gochugaru, a Korean chili powder) adapted to local conditions. Australians tend to prefer tangy, fermented kimchi, and Mama Kim created kimchi sauces, dried kimchi seasoning, and other convenient formats to make kimchi more everyday-friendly. She won a gold prize for traditional kimchi at the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show, highlighting Korean fermentation’s global appeal. Challenges include sourcing certain vegetables with the same texture and sweetness as in Korea and educating consumers about kimchi as a healthy fermented food rather than just a spicy dish. Her goal is to make Korean food an everyday option worldwide by sharing its craft and flavor.
