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INTERVIEWArgentine falls in love with 'hansik'

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Federico Heinzmann, left, the executive chef of the Park Hyatt Seoul, poses with Buddhist monk Ven. Sunjae at the hotel's restaurant, The Lounge, after launching the Road to Korean Temple Food promotion, May 24, 2017. / Courtesy of Park Hyatt Seoul
Federico Heinzmann, left, the executive chef of the Park Hyatt Seoul, poses with Buddhist monk Ven. Sunjae at the hotel's restaurant, The Lounge, after launching the Road to Korean Temple Food promotion, May 24, 2017. / Courtesy of Park Hyatt Seoul

Park Hyatt chef presenting diverse Korean menus

By Kang Seung-woo

Federico Heinzmann, the executive chef of the Park Hyatt Seoul, is a culinary artist with a decorated career.

The veteran chef worked at Martin Berasategui in Spain, a three-Michelin-star restaurant, the Park Hyatt Tokyo's New York Grill and other high-profile global hotels and restaurants, showing off Italian, French, American and Spanish cuisine.

However, at this point, the Argentine seems to be beefing up his already-illustrious resume with a new job that is not that much coveted by foreign chefs ― in other words, to offer authentic Korean dishes.

"Hansik, or traditional Korean food, is not only unique, but also ancient. I am a big fan of cultural heritage that has been handed down by local people," Heinzmann said in an interview with The Korea Times.

"I think those two things were the characteristics that attracted me the most."

Heinzmann praises Korean food as "straightforward."

"Korean food cannot be mixed or confused. It is not like northern Italian and southern French (food) that are similar and mixed. Once you eat Korean food, it is Korean food. It is extremely sharp and there is nothing like it," he said.

"I must say it is straightforward and this is what Korean people like."

He added that such character makes Koreans miss their dishes so much abroad.

"They miss their food like nobody else. I miss Argentine food, but I live in Korea without it. Can Koreans live without Korean food abroad? I don't think so. It is into your identity and that is what I found," the chef said.

The temple food promotion was designed for locals and international guests alike to experience the authentic flavors of Korean temple cuisine and realize the value of Korean fermented foods. / Courtesy of Park Hyatt Seoul
The temple food promotion was designed for locals and international guests alike to experience the authentic flavors of Korean temple cuisine and realize the value of Korean fermented foods. / Courtesy of Park Hyatt Seoul

Heinzmann returned to the Park Hyatt Seoul last year to take the helm of the property's all food and beverage facilities. His first tenure as a chef de cuisine at the Italian restaurant Cornerstone there lasted from 2012 to 2014.

Upon his arrival in February 2017, he wasted no time bursting onto the Korean cuisine scene with a promotion featuring "unprecedented" temple food.

"I decided to do the Road to Korean Temple Food promotion because I realized there were not many places offering Korean temple food here. So I thought, 'If not here, then where?'" he said.

"I also wanted my young chefs to be able to experience and work with this style of cuisine."

The promotion in partnership with Buddhist monk Ven. Sunjae featured seasonal ingredients and fermented pastes, drawing rave reviews from foreigners as well as Koreans.

Despite the success, however, the chef said it was not an easy road to launching the promotion, describing the first reaction from Koreans as a "total surprise."

The Ark of Taste promotion, also offered by the Argentine chef in April, used rare ingredients from Jeju Island. / Courtesy of Park Hyatt Seoul
The Ark of Taste promotion, also offered by the Argentine chef in April, used rare ingredients from Jeju Island. / Courtesy of Park Hyatt Seoul

"They seemed to have no expectation about temple food. For them, temple food was just one type of traditional food or vegetarian cuisine. I thought they didn't know its true meaning and value," he said.

"On the other hand, foreigners were extremely interested in learning what temple food was."

The chef also presented the Ark of Taste promotion that used endangered ingredients from Jeju Island last April.

While not resting on his past success with Korean food, Heinzmann's passion for authentic Korean cuisines does not seem to wane as he is going deeper into Korean traditional pastes, or "jang" in Korean.

"Now we are doing some interesting work with jang. I believe we are discovering a fascinating world with many possibilities and uses," he said without elaborating on his plans.

Reflecting his affection to Korean food, many say the hotel's food is more Eastern-oriented than those of others more focused on offering Western-styled dishes.

"When you´ve been living in Asia long enough, you fall in love with the flavors and techniques of Asian cuisine. At least I did," he said.

"Besides that, as a hotel we have the responsibility to offer the best of the local cuisine."

Plus, his efforts directed toward Korean food led him to be selected as an honorary ambassador for the World Hansik Festival that took place last month.

"I feel extremely honored and humbled by this recognition. It gives me more energy and encouragement to keep learning and sharing everything I´ve learned with other chefs, especially with the younger ones," he said.


Kang Seung-woo ksw@koreatimes.co.kr


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