- ■ Korea Briefing
- ■ History of Korea
- ■ Korean national flag
- ■ Korea's national flower
- ■ Korea Map
- ■ Image of Korea
- ■ CultureㆍArt of Korea
- ■ GeographyㆍPeople
- ■ Sports
- ■ Korea in the World
- ■ Toursim
- ■ Korean News Today
- ■ EventsㆍFestival by Korea
- ■ Photographys of Korea
- ■ Korea Banner Graphic
- ■ FriendㆍGuest Comments
![[Level:30]](http://www.koreaaward.com/kor/modules/point/icons/default/30.gif "Point:821435point, Level:30/30"){kind=icon}
admin| Category : | People |
|---|
Sang-hoon Degeimbre posing inside his restaurant (Photo: Yonhap News)A Korean orphan was adopted in Belgium and became a star chef there, winning two out of three possible stars in the 2009 version of the Michelin Guide, the world-famous guide to gourmet restaurants.
His name is Sang-hoon Degeimbre, 40. He was adopted with his younger brother when he was five years old and was raised in a large Belgian family with eight other children.
Discovering his inner passion for cooking, he opened his own restaurant named "L'Air du Temps" in July 1997 with his wife after building his career as a sommelier when he was only 17.
His inventive cooking and the "zen attitude" in the restaurant's interior and the chef's creativity soon won over gourmands and food critics alike, which led to him becoming a Michelin-starred chef in Belgium for the first time in 2000. Considering the fact that only 16 Belgian restaurants are listed in the Michelin Guide, Degeimbre's expertise and passion in cooking are demonstrated by his entering the media spotlight in a relatively short period of time.
Growing up from an independent adolescent into a young, promising chef in Belgium, however, Degeimbre had been always curious about his roots, parents, and what Korea and real Korean food is like. He found that his Korean name "Sang-hoon" begins with the Korean character "ㅅ" (pronounced "si-ot" in Korean) through a web search, and put the letter in red on the signboard of his restaurant, his business card and the restaurant's uniforms, which led to some Belgians mistaking the Korean character for a Chinese one.
Some of his long-asked questions have been answered, thanks to an invitation from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Degeimbre visited Korea for the first time for four days from Aug. 17 to 20, and his itinerary was arranged by the ministry's Korean Culture and Information Service (KOIS).
During his stay in Seoul, Degeimbre explored the beauty of Hansik, or Korean food, by trying out traditional Korean cuisine like galbi (grilled beef ribs), bulgogi (Korean marinated beef)), sanjeok (meat kebabs with mushrooms) ssam (rice and other ingredients wrapped in a large leaf), makgeoli (traditional rice wine) and omija tea (meaning "five flavored-tea" in Korean). The goal of his Korean trip was to learn new tastes, and experience the flavors and texture of Korean food as a European chef, rather than just imitating the recipes, according to Degeimbre. He discovered the full variety of tastes and flavors and the potential of Hansik in the wider world, another source of inspiration along with well-known Western cuisines.
Sang-hoon Degeimbre meets Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-Chon (right).Meetings with Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-Chon and some famous Korean food experts and owners of top traditional Korean restaurants, including court cuisine expert Han Bok-ryo, were also part of Degeimbre's journey, as well as a visit to Changdeokgung (Changdeok Palace) and watching the popular cooking-themed non-verbal performance "Nanta." While meeting the local food experts, he said he would support the Korean government's plan to introduce Korean food to Belgium and attend a Korean food expo, scheduled to take place in Brussels in October this year.
During an interview with the local press, Degeimbre expressed his ambition of creating new dishes by connecting Korean and Belgian food together. He also met professional calligrapher Gang Byeong-in, from whom he received advice in decorating his restaurant with Korean calligraphy artworks and with whom he exchanged gifts.
To find out more about Sang-hoon Degeimbre and his restaurant, click here.
By Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer
