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Private Notes
In summer, temperatures soar in Seoul and Koreans start to eat differently to combat the heat. John prepares his own version of Korean ginseng chicken soup and iced noodles.
John visits Gwanjang, the biggest food market in Seoul and samples its most famous food stall making bindaetteok, ground mung bean pancakes. He is then introduced to fermented rice wine makgeolli.
John explores the regal beginnings of Korean cuisine. With food writer Daniel Gray, John visits the UNESCO heritage city of Jeonju, the place where Korea's most famous dish, Royal Bibimpap hails from.
John travels south to Busan, a lively beach city on the South coast, which has Korea's best and biggest seafood market. At Jagalchi market, he samples mackerel for breakfast.
Autumn brings both the rice harvest and Chuseok, the Korean harvest festival, the most important festival of the year. In his Gangnam kitchen, John makes japchae - Korean glass noodles.
Kimchi is one of the world's superfoods. Every family has a recipe and no meal is eaten in Korea without kimchi. In Mangwon Market in Seoul, John visits the stalls selling hundreds of different types.
John joins the official Ambassador for Hanwoo beef for a tour of Majang meat market, the largest meat market in East Asia.
John meets up with broadcaster and chef Matthew Chung who takes him to his favourite soup kitchen. Soups are eaten at every meal and a good soup is the mainstay of breakfast, lunch and dinner.
John grills monkfish, Korean-style, after using gochujang bought from the supermarket to make a marinade for barbecue chicken. He also uses doenjang to make bossam, a pork belly dish.
John ends his Korean food tour with modern classics. He serves spicy rice cakes and fried chicken, before finishing off with ice cream and hotteok pancakes.
