K-Drama 'The Tyrant's Chef' Garners Global Acclaim for Showcasing K-Food

'The Tyrant's Chef' is gaining international praise for spreading the prestige of K-Food worldwide, following in the footsteps of 'Dae Jang Geum'.

tvN's weekend drama 'The Tyrant's Chef' (directed by Jang Tae-yoo, written by fGRD, planned by Studio Dragon, produced by Film Grida and Jung Universe) is tantalizing taste buds globally with its diverse fusion dishes. From the royal chef selection contest to high-stakes culinary battles, the show features a variety of fusion dishes like sous-vide steak, doenjang pasta, schnitzel, and Peking duck rolls, blending traditional ingredients and royal cuisine with modern techniques, offering a delightful experience to viewers worldwide.

In addition to the food, traditional tools like bamboo molds for beef tartare and noodle-making tools for doenjang pasta, replacing modern cooking equipment, add intrigue. The show also features chefs demonstrating cooking processes directly, enhancing the dining experience with table service. Unlike the typical plating style using sauces and ingredients, the show highlights the carving techniques of Ming Dynasty chefs, adding a unique flair.

Major international media outlets are showing significant interest in 'The Tyrant's Chef'. Forbes commented, “The real star of this drama is the meticulously prepared food,” while The New York Times described it as a romantic comedy that conveys love through the language of food, despite its mixed genres, praising the K-Food spectacle.

The global appeal of 'The Tyrant's Chef' is attributed to the efforts of actress Im Yoon-ah, star advisory chefs, and director Jang Tae-yoo's detailed direction. Im Yoon-ah, who plays the role of royal chef Yoon Ji-young, attended cooking classes and learned from advisory chefs three months before filming, performing most cooking scenes without a stand-in. Her dedication to mastering the cooking process and maintaining consistent technique impressed the production team.

The culinary consultation and menu development for 'The Tyrant's Chef' were overseen by Shin Jong-chul, head chef of a top domestic hotel. Chefs Oh Se-deuk and Kim Jong-hyo contributed French cuisine expertise, while Chef Choi Kang-rok focused on Korean and fusion dishes, and Chef Lee Sung-woo on Chinese cuisine. Lee Jung-min, an expert in royal cuisine, worked on plating styles and dining etiquette, recreating royal tables like 'naggotsang' and 'chojoban', with ingredient consultation by diet researcher Lee Chae-yoon.

Director Jang Tae-yoo emphasized that “the cooking process itself is a story,” adding meticulous direction to make cooking a central narrative. The production team stated, “We referenced books to determine the ingredients and dishes of the time, aiming for a fresh harmony with elements like tableware.”

They added, “Although Ji-young's dishes like pasta, steak, and schnitzel are modern, they primarily use Korean ingredients like doenjang, clams, red ginseng, and misugaru. We wanted to showcase Ji-young's mastery of familiar cooking methods using Korean ingredients to global audiences.”

tvN's weekend drama 'The Tyrant's Chef' will air its 9th episode on the 20th at 9:10 PM.

Reporter: Kim Se-ah, Ten Asia haesmik@tenasia.co.kr