Kimchi is the national food of Korea, and is made in dozens of varieties with different vegetables as a base.  The average Korean eats about 40 pounds of kimchi a year, with several types served at each meal.  Eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner, kimchi is spicy, tangy, crunchy and filled with umami.  But why do Koreans bury their kimchi in the ground? And are all types of kimchi spicy?  Can vegans eat kimchi?  These and other kimchi mysteries will be explained by chef and culinary historian, Hae Jung Cho, who will discus the history of kimchi and the science of fermentation and then demonstrate how to make the most popular type of kimchi, napa cabbage kimchi.

About the speaker:

Hae Jung Cho has been a professional cook for thirteen years.  Trained as a master food preserver, Hae Jung has been teaching people how to make kimchi and other ferments since 2011 and has a Facebook group called “Hae Jung’s Kimchi Club.”  Hae Jung is a founding member and executive committee member of Slow Food Preservers Los Angeles and a newbie gardener at the Crenshaw Community Garden.