The ASEAN Culinary Festival 2016, hosted by the ASEAN-Korea Centre with the support of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea, was a key contributor to spreading the word among Koreans about the favorite dishes in Member States of the 10-nation group. It ran from Nov. 2 to 5 at Hall B of COEX, Seoul. The festival was organized to commemorate the ASEAN-Korea Cultural Exchange Year in 2017 and the Visit ASEAN Year 2017 (Visit ASEAN@50 Golden Celebration). As a first of its kind in Korea, and also as a solo culinary event with all 10 ASEAN countries, the festival introduced 30 dishes popular in ASEAN countries. The dishes were cooked by ASEAN chefs and some of them also gave demonstrations of selected dishes to appreciative audiences. 

The opening ceremony included the toque ceremony (a toque is a chef’s signature white headgear) and a live cooking show, performed by Ms. Nooror Somany Steppe, Founding Partner and Director of the Blue Elephant Restaurant & Cooking School in Bangkok.

During the Live Cooking Shows, the chefs used ingredients easily found in Korea so that people here could have an easier time bringing exotic flavors to their home kitchens without struggling too much to find the right ingredients. 

Following the successful run of the 4-day festival, cultural familiarity of ASEAN to Koreans was enhanced yet to another level. It also promoted ASEAN culinary destinations, enticing Koreans to embark on “Gourmet Trips to ASEAN” during the Visit ASEAN@50: Golden Celebration in 2017.

Related

[KTV] 2016 아세안 페어…"다양한 아세안 요리 맛보세요" (more)

[KTV] 4시& 브리핑 (98회) (04´50") (more)

[Bangkok Post] Korea calling (more)

[Korea Herald] ASEAN foods whet appetites at culinary festival (more)

[Detiknews] Saat Aneka Soto Menggoyang Lidah Publik Korea, 550 Porsi Ludes dalam Sehari (more)

[Korea Joongang Daily] The cuisines of Southeast Asia take center stage: Cross-cultural influences found in the dishes of Asean nations lead to an open-minded approach to cooking (more)

[CNN Indonesia] Sepuluh Chef Berlaga di Festival Kuliner ASEAN (more)

[Korea Joongang Daily] Four-day food festival offers tastes of Asean (more)

[The Korea Times] Culinary fest offers taste of ASEAN (more)

[매일경제] "유사한 듯 독특한 아세안 10개국의 음식대결 기대" (more)

[연합뉴스] "동남아 요리 맛보세요" 코엑스서 ´아세안 페어´ 개막 (more)

[중앙선데이] 팟타이·미고렝·포 … 국가대표 음식 30개 맛 대결 (more)

[문화일보] 5일까지 ‘아세안 페어 2016’ (more)

[연합뉴스] ´2016 서울국제식품산업전´ 아세안페어 (more)

[연합뉴스] ´2016 서울국제식품산업전´ 아세안페어 (more)

[연합뉴스] ´고향의 맛´ (more)

[뉴시스] 2016 아세안 페어 (more)

[뉴시스] ´아세안 10개국 음식은?´ (more)

[뉴시스] 시식하는 주한태국대사 (more)

[뉴시스] 개회사하는 김영선 사무총장 (more)

[일간스포츠] 2016 아세안 페어 (more)

[일간스포츠] ´아세안 10개국 음식은?´ (more)

[일간스포츠] 시식하는 주한태국대사 (more)

[일간스포츠] 개회사하는 김영선 사무총장 (more)

[중도일보] ´2016 서울국제식품산업전´ 아세안페어 (more)

[중도일보] ´고향의 맛´ (more)

[이데일리] ´눈으로 보고 입으로 즐기는´ 아세안 10개국 요리 축제 (more)

[디지털타임스] `서울국제식품산업전` 아세안페어 (more)