Kimchi Chronicles
Kimchi Chronicles is an American food program airing on PBS that is part travelogue, part food narrative, and part documentary of self-discovery. Host Marja Vongerichten,[1] a Korean American-Adoptee, explores Korean food and culture, and her unique life story is told throughout the series. In the show, viewers experience Korea through Marja's distinct perspective.
Kimchi Chronicles | |
---|---|
Genre | Food travelogue |
Directed by | Charles Pinsky |
Starring | Marja Vongerichten Jean-Georges Vongerichten |
Opening theme | "Restart the Show" |
Composer | SOREA |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 13 |
Production | |
Executive producers | Frappé Inc. (Charles Pinsky) Eric Rhee Diana Kang Jung Sook Park Sara Park Marja Vongerichten |
Producer | Eric Rhee |
Production locations | Korea US |
Running time | 30 minutes |
Release | |
Original network | Syndicated to public television |
Original release | July 2011 – September 2011 |
Each episode begins in Korea, where Marja, her husband Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and other special guests[2] travel to different areas of Korea and taste their local foods. Then, they return to New York, where they recreate Korean recipes, specifically tailored for a modern American kitchen. Episodes cover different categories of food, providing a comprehensive overview of Korean food.
The show features acclaimed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, actress Heather Graham, and actor Hugh Jackman and his wife, actress Deborra-Lee Furness who are also upstairs neighbors in New York City of the Vongerichten family.[3]
The show was sponsored by the Visit Korea Committee, Korean Food Foundation, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.[1]
The production company for the show was Frappé, Inc., which is owned by Charles Pinsky.
Episode list
Episode | Title | Location | Episode Location Detail Page | Episode Summary | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
101 | "The Kimchi Chronicles Begin" | Seoul, New York City | Seoul, New York | The Kimchi Chronicles Begin is an introduction to the basics of Korean cooking featuring Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness. | July 2, 2011 |
102 | "The Rice Chronicles" | Seoul, Busan | Seoul, Busan | The Rice Chronicles explore Korea's most prized staple food with Marja's friend Heather Graham. | July 9, 2011 |
103 | "The Jeju Chronicles" | Jeju | Jeju | The Jeju Chronicles explore Jeju Island, the Hawaii of Korea. | July 16, 2011 |
104 | "The Seafood Chronicles" | Seoul, Sokcho | Seoul, Sokcho | The Seafood Chronicles dive into the waters surrounding the South Korean peninsula. | July 23, 2011 |
105 | "The Bean Chronicles" | Seoul, Chodang, Jeonju | Seoul, Chodang, Jeonju | The Bean Chronicles tap into the history of Korean cooking and culture. | July 30, 2011 |
106 | "The Beef Chronicles" | Seoul, Andong | Seoul, Andong | The Beef Chronicles trace the history of beef in Korea along with Heather Graham, Hugh Jackman, and Deborra-Lee Furness. | August 6, 2011 |
107 | "The Fish Chronicles" | Seoul, Sokcho, Busan | Seoul, Sokcho, Busan | The Fish Chronicles explore the entire coastlines of Korea with Heather Graham. | July 7, 2011 |
108 | "The Seoul Food Chronicles" | Seoul | Seoul | The Seoul Food Chronicles cover the best of Seoul, from late-night drinks to striking fashion and street food. | August 20, 2011 |
109 | "The Chicken Chronicles" | Chuncheon, Andong | Chuncheon, Andong | The Chicken Chronicles explore Korea's most beloved chicken dishes all over the country. | July 17, 2011 |
110 | "The Noodle and Dumpling Chronicles" | Seoul | Seoul | The Noodle and Dumpling Chronicles cover every favorite noodle and dumpling dish in Korea with plenty of slurping along the way. | July 31, 2011 |
111 | "The Pork Chronicles" | Seoul | Seoul | The Pork Chronicles get into the Korean love for everything pig. | September 10, 2011 |
112 | "The Street Food Chronicles" | Seoul, Sokcho | Seoul, Sokcho | The Street Food Chronicles explore all of the hugely popular Korean dishes from street carts and stands and dishes are shared with Hugh Jackman. | September 17, 2011 |
113 | "The Kimchi Chronicles Conclude" | Seoul, Sokcho, Pyeongchang | Seoul, Sokcho, Pyeongchang | The Kimchi Chronicles Conclude brings the show full circle and is all about special occasions. | September 24, 2011 |
Other media
In August 2011, Rodale, Inc. published a hardcover companion cookbook, The Kimchi Chronicles: Korean Cooking for an American Kitchen[4] (ISBN 978-1-60961-127-9), written by Marja Vongerichten with Julia Turshen.
The 13-episode series was released on DVD[5] in October 2011 (ISBN 978-0-615-54426-7).
On October 16, 2012, Marja Vongerichten was a guest speaker at the George Washington University Jack Morton Auditorium, where she presented a humorous lecture about the Kimchi Chronicles, Korean culture, and her biracial identity.[6] The Korean Cultural Center, Embassy of the Republic of Korea, organized and sponsored the event.[6]
Books
- Vongerichten, Marja; (foreword by Jean Georges Vongerichten), The Kimchi Chronicles: Korean cooking for an American kitchen, Emmaus, PA: Rodale Books, 2011. ISBN 978-1-60961-127-9
References
- Kwak, Sarah (19 May 2011). "Marja Vongerichten on How Her Korean Cooking Inspires Jean-Georges". Vanity Fair.
- "Actress Heather Graham promotes Hansik". Korea.net. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
- Cf. first episode of the TV series, The Kimchi Chronicles
- "The Kimchi Chronicles' Marja Vongerichten on Korean-American Cooking". Women's Health. 2011-09-19.
- "Kimchi Chronicles". Han Cinema. 3 Jun 2011.
- "Global Hallyu Forum: Riding the Korean Wave - Special Events". KoreanCulture.org. 16 October 2012. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2012.
Further reading
- "Celebrity Chef's Wife Returns to Ancestral Home", The Chosun Ilbo newspaper, South Korea, June 29, 2010
- Leach, Robin, "‘Kimchi Chronicles’ chef Marja Vongerichten is still searching for her father", Las Vegas Sun, Wednesday, May 16, 2012