On KBS2's 'The Boss Has Donkey Ears,' chef Jo Seo-hyung showcased his prowess as a rising star in Korean cuisine during a collaborative dinner show with chef Park Ga-ram, featuring bold yet delicate Korean dishes. Meanwhile, Lee Soon-sil, who successfully lost 30kg with Wegovy, embarked on a journey to achieve a smaller face through foot acupressure massage as she prepared for a reminder wedding.
The 344th episode of 'The Boss Has Donkey Ears,' aired on the 15th, achieved a peak viewership rating of 4.2%, maintaining its position as the top show in its time slot for 193 consecutive weeks, according to Nielsen Korea.
Jo Seo-hyung, known for his attention to detail, was unusually nervous while preparing for the fine dining dinner show. In contrast, Park Ga-ram, drawing from his experience of handling 50 lobsters in two hours at a seafood restaurant, skillfully continued cooking. The dinner show featured renowned chefs like 'Michelin 1-star' Kim Hee-eun, 'Seoul Mom' Woo Jung-wook, 'Trend King' Kim Hoon, 'Three Star Killer' Ahn Jin-ho, 'Hidden Genius' Kim Tae-sung, 'Side Dish Chef' Song Ha-slam, 'Gan-gwi' Hyun Sang-wook, and 'Young Tak' Oh Joon-tak, representing the 'Black and White Chefs,' adding to the tension.
During the 10-course collaborative dinner show, Jo Seo-hyung presented a platter of seasonal seafood, including flower octopus, live squid, seaweed, and candle snails. Chef Kim Hee-eun was impressed by the perilla seed flavor in the kimchi sauce, while Chef Woo Jung-wook was thrilled by the taste of candle snails. Other chefs praised the dishes, describing them as "a taste explosion" and "a feeling of savoring all the flavors of the sea." Park Ga-ram recreated his famous lobster dish from 'Black and White Chefs,' served with his signature tuile. Fellow chefs remarked, "It's worth surviving," and Chef Kim Hoon smiled, saying, "I feel like I'm An Sung-jae."
The dinner show concluded with Jo Seo-hyung's reinterpretation of 'Obang Tteokguk,' a traditional rice cake soup, using cabbage, abalone, brisket, and shiitake mushrooms instead of rice cakes. Chefs enjoyed the dish, requesting refills and giving thumbs up to Jo Seo-hyung's culinary skills. Amidst the praise, Jo Seo-hyung proposed another collaboration, saying, "Let's try it in my kitchen next time. Cooking in a cauldron won't be easy."
Lee Soon-sil, preparing for a reminder wedding shoot, visited a foot acupressure massage shop to achieve a smaller face. Expressing concerns about facial asymmetry and protruding cheekbones, she humorously remarked, "Did Director Jang bring me here to suffer?" as the massage intensity increased. After the massage, she was pleased with her reduced swelling and jokingly requested more pressure, adding to the entertainment.
'Meat Gangster' David Lee, known for his kitchen charisma, showed his 'cute romantic' side in front of his beautiful American wife, Rosa. He shared the story of how he wooed her with his cooking after falling in love at first sight. When Rosa asked, "Why did you keep sending me service back then?" David Lee replied, "Because you're beautiful, and you still are," showcasing his unwavering affection after 19 years of marriage. He humorously offered to teach his wife Korean, suggesting she tell people, "My husband is Park Bo-gum," to receive good treatment, eliciting laughter.
David Lee visited the restaurant of his protégé, Park Jae-hyun, who runs a business with an annual revenue of 5 billion won, to review the dishes, including the braised short ribs he had consulted on for free. Tasting the food, David Lee commented, "It's still delicious. Pay more attention to the visual appeal by making the peppers and carrots in the braised ribs more visible," offering mentor-like advice.
For new menu development, David Lee and his protégés conducted market research on K-food, drawing inspiration from fermented pork belly, French-infused black pork soup, and spicy pork ribs. He expressed admiration for Korean cuisine, stating, "Korean food is truly amazing," and vowed to organize his ideas to create great dishes. At the end of the show, when Kim Sook expressed curiosity about CEO Jae-hyun, David Lee humorously deflected interest, saying, "Jae-hyun is busy," providing a lighthearted moment.
Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr