Be an experts at KIMCHI or MAKGEOLLI tasting!

Sommelier is French for “one who tries the taste” of something. There are sommeliers for wine of course, but who knew they also exist for kimchi (Korea’s favorite condiment) and makgeolli (rice wine)?

Kimchi sommeliers

Kimchi sommeliers aim to globalize Korea’s favorite side dish via standardization and systemization. Kimchi is the first thing that comes to mind when mentioning Korean traditional food. Experts abound in that area, proving how popular this fermented vegetable dish is. A mini-refrigerator specially made for storing kimchi is a common item in many Korean households. Riding on that wave, the World Food Culture Center (WFCC) introduced its first sommelier course for kimchi last October.

A kimchi sommelier, equipped with expertise on kimchi and cooking skill, provides all kinds of information regarding the dish. They can recommend what kind of kimchi best meets the need of a particular restaurant, as well as teaching them how to make it properly. A sommelier in this field must be extremely well-versed in food that accompanies kimchi -- which happens to be almost all kinds of Korean food, known as Hansik. One needs to have a wide knowledge about the taste and characteristics of each respective dish, down to the smallest details.

A kimchi sommelier course comprises eight weeks of study followed by written and practical tests. The tuition fee, slightly over 1 million won (approx. US$900) can be somewhat overwhelming, yet it is attracting a steady stream of participants from people in various fields of food-related business including restaurateurs, chefs, nutritionists and kimchi manufacturers.

“Kimchi may be Korea’s representative food, yet aside from well-known kimchi masters we don’t have too many experts,” said Yang Hyang-ja, the CEO of the WFCC. “With cheap kimchi being made overseas we need to arm ourselves with kimchi sommeliers to preserve its true flavor.” She explained that once kimchi sommeliers become established in the nation, they will contribute to better standardization and systemization of kimchi across the land.

“Kimchi is something we see in almost every meal in Korea, yet I was never able to find a truly scientific recipe for it. Through the kimchi sommelier course I was able to understand various types of kimchi that I didn’t know before and able to get accurate measurements for each ingredients,” said Oh Geum-ja, 45, who acquired her kimchi sommelier license last October.

Kimchi sommeliers should also join the effort to globalize Hansik, Yang said. She believes there isn’t enough “story-telling” of kimchi regarding its history and culture. “Just like wine sommeliers helped elevate the status of wine, kimchi sommeliers will do the same thing for kimchi.” For more information call: (02-511-1540).

Makgeolli sommeliers

There are sommeliers, too, for the Korean traditional rice wine (though some say it is more like a beer) known as makgeolli. Trained at the Makgeolli School founded by Korean liquor critic Heo Si-myeong, the school itself is the first of its kind to open in the country. Thanks to the recent popularity of makgeolli, there may be many other places that teach people to make it, but Heo’s school is the only kind to study the scent and taste, and learn what to recommend according to the situation.

Makgeolli School runs programs like “Brewing my first liquor” and “In search of a makgeolli distillery,” that are made up of 10 2-hour lectures held once a week. A total of 120 people have taken the course ever since the school opened in October 2009.

The first course filled up in two days. The second course was filled only 10 minutes after applications opened. By the time the school held the course for the third time, the school offered 10 more places. Nonetheless it still recorded 1:4 competition among applicants.

The school selected course participants according to those who could contribute well to the development of makgeolli. Applicants varied in occupation: brewery operator, makgeolli bar owner, restaurant chef and simply a liquor-lover. There was once someone who flew to Korea every week from Japan.

“Just like wine became successful around the world through a systematic rating system for taste and quality, we need to produce as many experts that can establish a similar system for makgeolli,” Kim Dong-gyo, 37, who is also studying at his father’s brewery, said. Kim added that makgeolli sommeliers must take the lead in developing words that can express the taste and scent of makgeolli.

In the first half of 2010, Makgeolli School plans to open an intensive course to train makgeolli sommeliers. “We need such experts in order for makgeolli to solidify its place as the representative traditional liquor of Korea,” Heo said. For more information call: (050-5609-5609).