Gazal and Junaid win top honours in Second All India Korean Culinary Challenge

Team L&M

Junaid Sharif bagged the first prize in professional category while Gazal Taneja topped in the non-professional category of the Second All India Korean Culinary Challenge 2021 jointly organised by Korean Cultural Centre India and Banarasidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology.

Korean Snack Platter that won for Gazal Taneja the first prize in the non-professional category 

Taneja, 24, prepared Korean Snack Platter in the finale round which had Korean Fried Chicken, Corn Cheese, Vegetable Pan Cake and Chiken Kimbaps. She plans to make kimchi making and delivery as her business venture. Twentysix-year-old Saba Naj won the second position with her Bimbap. She runs a cook show ‘Cook with Saba’ on YouTube. The third position was bagged by Hufrish K Sethna, 21, a Korean language student. She prepared Indo-Korean fusion with Japchae and Parasi bafat.

In the Professional category, Shreshth Jangir, won the second prize while Akshita Kashyap got the third prize.

Talking about the contest, Hwang Il-yong, the director of Korean Cultural Centre India remarked, “Korean food created by Indians isn’t limited to simply ‘replicated Korean food’, but is reproduced as ‘Indian culture’ and ‘Indian food’. I wish this glocalized Korean food and culture can penetrate deeply into India and Indian people`s heart.”

“I was surprised the high level of understanding of Korean seasoning among the participants. As a Korean chef working at the Embassy, I am proud that Indian people are showing keen interest in Korean food after seeing Korean-style fusion dishes that contain Indian culture,” said Chef Kim Ji-yeol, who judged the final 10 contestants. “Having tasted the richness of Indian food locally, I understand why my eldest son in Korea loves Indian food so much and Indian food is gaining popularity in Korea,” remarked the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India Chang Jae-bok.