Local Ingredients Rediscovered: A Three-Year Culinary Journey in Korea
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
"Local Odyssey: Sustainability in a Meal" is a new book by chef Kim Tae-yun, food explorer and planner Jang Min-young, and culinary translator Hwang Jong-wook. Over three years (starting in April 2022) the team traveled across Korea—from Jirisan to Sokcho, Gijang, Geochang and Gwangju—documenting local ingredients, foodways and producers. The book mixes familiar seafood like anchovy (멸치), hairtail (갈치) and mackerel (삼치) with lesser-known items such as sea anemone (말미잘), small seaweed-like seaweed (군소), dried small seaweed (건포), mitten crab (칠게), and goby fish (망둥이). Rather than technical recipes, the authors offer approachable, diary-like notes on how to clean and pair these ingredients, and reflect on modern food culture’s drift from seasonal, local eating toward globalized, appearance-driven consumption fueled by fossil energy and overfishing. The project also connects dishes to their ecosystems and the voices of local producers, aiming to revive appreciation for Korea’s food heritage and sustainable practices.
