[Interview] Message from the 13th Culinary Master of the Republic of Korea

Interview with Hanwha The Tastable Team Leader Baek Tae-woon

The meal kit market is rapidly growing, making it possible to enjoy delicious dishes at home without having to step outside. Not only can you taste dishes from famous restaurants and renowned chefs on social media, but you can also enjoy meals that you would normally have to travel abroad to experience, all through meal kits. While the advantage is that you can complete a tasty dish at home in just a few minutes, the aspects of ‘health’ and ‘authenticity of cooking’ are often missing.

In this meal kit market, there is a chef who contemplates ‘authenticity.’ Chef Baek Tae-woon, who holds the title of ‘13th Master Chef of Korea’ with 30 years of experience. He never stops thinking about ingredient composition and manufacturing methods to faithfully recreate restaurant dishes. He believes that the moment you compromise with reality without persistence, the value diminishes accordingly.

Chef Baek, along with chefs who have over 10 years of experience at 63 Restaurant, launched meal kit products called 63 Dining Kit and Chef Label. These are the results of culinary considerations developed in the dining research lab and a unique perspective on the meal kit market. He is both a chef and a team leader, overseeing Hanwha The Tastable’s O2O (Online to Offline) business. He says, “Our goal is for customers to taste the meal kits first, become curious, and then visit 63 Restaurant.” This is a reverse way of thinking from the usual pattern of visiting a famous restaurant and then buying meal kits. Also, Chef Baek’s persistence is firm. Even if product development takes a long time, his values prioritize customers’ health and the planet. “Challenge is a new excitement. For me, it’s something new, so I do anything!” Chef Baek emphasized. Through an interview with Drinkit, he shared his 30 years of culinary life and a clear message he wants to convey to the MZ generation.

Q. What is the O2O (Online to Offline) business?

Simply put, it’s the meal kit industry. The original meaning of O2O is the abbreviation for connecting online and offline. Since only a very small number of people actually visit 63 Restaurant fine dining, the goal was to lower the barrier so that customers can experience the food and become curious about ‘What is the real taste of the restaurant?’ and be drawn to visit the restaurant. It serves as a medium connecting online and offline.

Q. The meal kit market is moving very fast. What are the unique strengths of 63 Dining Kit and Chef Label?

Even luxury goods have very subtle differences in detail. I think food is the same. Rather than just basic convenience and simplicity, I believe there is authenticity that conveys the value of the product. Unlike other chefs, I have long experience in fine dining, so confidence and my own persistence are well reflected. Isn’t a luxury item something that you don’t just say ‘delicious’ when eating, but something that lingers in your mind afterward?

Q. Among the meal kits you have introduced, which menu are you most confident in?

It’s the Doenjang Beef Hot Pot. Most doenjang (fermented soybean paste) is mass-produced and uses a lot of chemical doenjang. But we use traditional fermented doenjang, which is healthier and offers a deeper flavor. I wanted to deliver a healthy and profound taste.

Q. Did you consider the vegan dietary trend when creating this?

Of course, I kept that in mind. We are also thinking a lot about veganism. Veganism is not simply about vegetarianism but a responsibility humanity must bear. It’s good to gradually build taste experience through intermittent vegetarianism. Our task is to replicate the feeling of enjoying meat as much as possible and to create products that show there are different, unique flavors apart from that taste. We are currently researching and working hard to launch new products that can veganize premium fine dining restaurants.

Q. Do you enjoy drinking, and could you recommend your own pairing combinations?

I do enjoy drinking (laughs). These days, everyone knows this, and since individual tastes and preferences are unique, I think it’s important to find your own. For example, everyone knows that Makgeolli pairs well with Pajeon (green onion pancake), but depending on personal taste, one might think wine pairs better or feel that whiskey is a good match. It’s good to use your imagination and judge for yourself.

Q. Do you often try challenging pairings?

Yes, I do. Sometimes business ideas come from such experiments. We want to broaden the range of choices for various products. We want to break the traditional mold of pairing alcohol and side dishes.

Q. You have an impressive record including being selected as a Master Chef of Korea and receiving the Presidential Award. Do you have your own philosophy when cooking?

I believe one of the essential virtues of a chef is authenticity. You must constantly challenge yourself and minimize compromises. If you compromise easily, you can develop a menu, but the value of your menu decreases. Also, you shouldn’t easily settle for self-satisfaction. You must continuously strive to improve and keep thinking about whether there is any part of the cooking process that can be improved. I believe that the challenge until completion is essential, not just making something tasty. So, don’t compromise, and even if you have to take a detour, don’t stop and keep going.

Q. What does ‘cooking’ mean to you?

It’s life. When I started cooking, I made a personal promise during three years of testing: ‘If I quit within three years, so be it, but if I pass three years, I will complete 30 years!’ Since you handle ingredients that go into people’s mouths, it must always be clean. I was attracted to the value of preventive conditions before people get sick and go to the hospital for treatment. Delicious food can also heal the heart. Also, it’s because of the premium ingredients I tasted as a chef. At first, when I tasted smoked salmon, I thought, ‘What is this taste? Why do people pay so much for this?’ but after experiencing it several times, I came to appreciate its charm. So, I think I’m in the ‘top 0.001% in eating,’ and I’m glad I became a chef (laughs).

Q. What advice would you give to the MZ generation aspiring to be chefs?

“First, test if it really suits you!” Try hard for at least one year, and if not, it’s better to quit quickly. The sooner you decide, the better. If you decide to continue, you must have perseverance, persistence, and patience. In any industry, to create a new version of yourself, it’s important to have a clear philosophy and act accordingly. If you give up, minimize regrets. If it doesn’t suit you, wearing uncomfortable clothes won’t ignite passion. Then, the soul doesn’t go in, only the form.

Q. Please leave a final word for your subscribers.

You only live once, so I hope you live a delicious life. I support you in designing a tasty life well. To live deliciously, you must be healthy!

Photo provided by Hanwha The Tastable

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.