Summary
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 |
| Original release | |
| Network | Syndicated to public television |
| 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 edit
| 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 edit
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 edit
- 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 edit
- ^ a b 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". HanCinema. 3 Jun 2011.
- ^ a b "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 edit
- "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
External links edit
- Official Website
- Official Blog