“I’ve always found the aroma of charred chives while cooking the pancake on rainy days or holidays to be especially appealing. Drawing on that experience, I grilled chives over charcoal and filled them with fresh shrimp. I also added extra depth to the dish by roasting dried red shrimp from Wando over a wood-fired oven to enhance their fragrance,” chef Bae elucidated.
Buchujeon is typically served with soy sauce but chef Bae was inspired by the version in southeastern Korea that uses vinegar-infused chilli paste. “I wanted to further explore the relationship between chilli and shrimp, so I incorporated Guajillo and New Mexican chillies, which add a subtle complexity and heat beyond the typical Korean pepper flavour,” he added.
On fermentation, he is drawn to how the process intensifies an ingredient’s flavours over time and lets him use ingredients across seasons. In Wild Duck, Bokbunja, Strawberry, the charcoal-grilled, two week-aged meat is paired with fermented red cabbage, cardamom and caraway seeds.
Many of chef Bae’s recipes are inspired by childhood memories. “When I was in elementary school, my parents were always busy working so sometimes when I came home, I tried to make my own meals,” he said of his early kitchen adventures. Were there any mishaps? “Always,” the chef mused. “But I love food. And I love to cook.”
This passion led him to New York where he studied at the famous Culinary Institute of America after graduating from high school in California. In 2019, he returned to Seoul to work at Mosu. Helmed by chef Son Jong-won, Mosu made headlines for being the first establishment to be awarded three Michelin stars in 2022 following a six-year drought. Until then, there were only two three-Michelin-starred restaurants in Seoul – Gaon and La Yeon – since the South Korean city published its first Michelin guide in 2016.
