Korean Enthusiasm for French Cuisine
It is becoming more and more common: Koreans are passionate about French cuisine.
Bread, pastries, coffee: there’s nothing like it to make customers happy! What is behind such a phenomenon? Let's explore this new trend.
Koreans and French cuisine
It is now quite common to tour a neighborhood’s best bakeries and taste their specialties. Social networks have amplified the phenomenon by promoting these places. Indeed, charming and authentic, several bakeries have been dubbed “Instagrammable” and offer mouthwatering treats. Korean chefs are also competing for ideas to adapt their products to local tastes.
Mix the two cuisines. The specialties are thus specific to each bakery. For example, in the Copain bakery located in Seoul, you can find a Japanese-style salmon croissant and a baguette filled with red bean paste. It is about experimenting, finding new recipes, and looking for novelty at all costs. It is probably this adaptability and this culinary melting pot approach that have made this bakery so successful.
Why such enthusiasm? There are several reasons. It is possible that this attraction is due to the fact that Koreans travel a lot more than before, and thus discover a lot more things than ever before. They are therefore very happy to find the flavors of their travels when they return home. And while they are very attached to their own excellent cuisine, they are also very curious and very open-minded. It is therefore not uncommon for them to eat bread or pastries for breakfast now. In addition, their habits have changed. Now, they eat less at home and more in the streets. They therefore want to have access to dishes that can be eaten more quickly while remaining “tasty,” such as the baguette.
Always more bakeries and pastry shops! Once you win Koreans over, they will ask for more. It’s a winning bet. Thus, more and more small independent stores — in addition to the large chains (Paris-Baguette, Tous les jours, etc.) — are emerging and not about to close shop. Quite the contrary. As for the large bakery chains, they want to export their know-how. This is why the giant “Paris-Baguette” — omnipresent in Korea — has opened nearly 200 stores in Korea, China, Vietnam, and Paris.
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Promoting French culinary arts
Baguettes, chocolate, French pastries: all the little dishes with a sweet Gallic scent appeal to Koreans. This is a real revolution on the move! Dining rooms are packed and the great classics of French cuisine — from onion soup to steak tartare and foie gras — are popular.
French restaurants are not places where Koreans eat lunch or dinner every day. Why? First of all, because of the price. Indeed, in Korea, a typical dish costs between €3-6. While in French restaurants in Korea, prices are the same as in France, which is around €15 minimum for a typical dish. But, this is undoubtedly a sector of the future as Koreans can afford to eat out with their country being one of the world's top 15 economic powers.
The reasons for such appeal? First of all, customers not only like tasting French food, but also eating in a different way. Korea is a country where people usually eat quickly and in silence. The French art of tasting is therefore very exotic to them. In these restaurants, you have access to a meal that you eat slowly and for a long time. It's a great way to meet new people, spend time with family and friends, and take some time for yourself outside of work.
A little extra French cuisine? From now on, to be successful, you have to sell artisanal products that stand out from the big Korean chains that sell products of all kinds. It is essential to bet on taste and form. Some French artisans even import certain products such as flour and butter directly from France. Also, be aware that Koreans are not used to sweet foods. This is the reason why the pastry must have a great presentation with nothing sticking out.
Conclusion: A trend that has not stopped leading Korea to the baguette
This is only the beginning of a great adventure: that of French cuisine in Korea. Between typical French cuisine and dishes linking the two cultures, customers are waiting for you.
Prepare your taste buds. You will not be disappointed!
aibb lab AI Consultant
3 年A very good find. In the morning, I also put fruit and fruit in yogurt and eat it simply before going to work. A country's food culture is influenced by the change of seasons in that country. The seasons in Korea are spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and they pass quickly. So, even if the sowing time differs from the old days by one week, the grain yield of the fruit is significantly different from that of the neighboring house, so the time is affected. So the Korean table should finish a quick meal and start farming with neighbors. This may be one of the reasons why Koreans do not have enough time to eat.??