John Torode's Korean Food Tour
Chef John Torode jets off on his culinary travels to tackle a whole new territory and range of dishes. Throughout the series, the MasterChef judge travels around South Korea, to the mountains, the cities, the countryside and the coast and works his way through some of the nation's top 100 dishes.
- 2017-2017
- 1 season
- Documentary
Chef John Torode jets off on his culinary travels to tackle a whole new territory and range of dishes. Throughout the series, the MasterChef judge travels around South Korea, to the mountains, the cities, the countryside and the coast and works his way through some of the nation's top 100 dishes.
Season 1 Episode Guide
10 Episodes 2017
Episode 1
Summer
45 mins
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.
Episode 2
Vegetables and Tofu
45 mins
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 to fermented rice wine makgeolli.
Episode 3
Royal Cuisine
45 mins
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.
Episode 4
Fish and Sea
45 mins
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 the mackerel for breakfast.
Episode 5
Harvest
45 mins
Autumn brings both the rice harvest and Chuseok, Korean harvest festival, the most important festival of the year. In his Gangnam kitchen, John makes japchae - Korean glass noodles.
Episode 6
Kimchi
44 mins
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.
Episode 7
BBQ
45 mins
John joins the official Ambassador for Hanwoo beef for a tour of Majang meat market, the largest meat market in East Asia.
Episode 8
Soups and Stews
45 mins
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.
Episode 9
Korean Pantry
45 mins
John grills monkfish, Korean-style, after using gochuchang bought from the supermarket to make a marinade for barbecue chicken. He also uses doenjang to make bossam, a pork belly dish.
Episode 10
Modern Urban
45 mins
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.