There is a saying, 'Food and medicine share the same origin.' It means that food and medicine ultimately come from the same root. If you think about it, what we eat and how we take care of our bodies are not that different. Medicinal ingredients can become food ingredients, and food ingredients can sometimes serve as medicine. Ultimately, we can reach one conclusion: 'You must eat well to live well.'
Thinking about it, we all maintain the balance of our bodies in our own ways. On a day so cold that I shiver, a spicy hot pot comes to mind, and the opposite weather naturally brings to mind refreshing foods. On a scorching hot day when I feel ready to faint, I crave chicken soup with a clear broth and a layer of yellow oil floating on top, and on a day when my throat is parched, just one sip of Pyongyang cold noodle soup makes me forget my thirst and the heat. Eating deliciously to take care of health is ultimately an important part of living well.
Confucius also made a similar remark: 'No one goes without eating, yet few know the true taste of food.'
However, maintaining that consistently is more difficult than it seems. The saying that something good for the body often tastes bitter did not come from nowhere. Thus, our ancestors chose a wiser method: fermentation. Fermentation, where the power of time and dedication can be fully felt, has developed into various forms such as jang and pickles. One person who has created an unexpected combination with these two, which demonstrate a clear presence even in small amounts, is Chef Jo Young-jae of Bangbae 'Jjan.'
Jjan is a kind of laboratory space created by Chef Jo Young-jae, who started from Japanese omakase, breaking out of the sushi mold and incorporating Korean fermentation and seasonal ingredients. Starting with the combination of adding pickles to sushi, it explores the possibilities of Korean taste, including jang, pickles, aging, fermentation, and seasonal changes. It clearly began with the balance wheel of 'il (일)', but gradually moves closer to 'han (한),' providing a unique experience that can only be felt here.
The store's name comes from 'Jjanmat,' but it also encompasses the essence of all fermentation, including jang, salt, jeotgal, and pickles. Chef Jo describes himself as 'the person who makes Jjan.' He connects the entire process of making jang, pickling, and marinating fish in pickle juice as one worldview of Jjan.
Jjan insists on using seasonal ingredients. It is believed that the energy of the season provides what is necessary for those living in that season. Natural seafood, organic vegetables, jang, pickles, season and aroma, aging and time—all of this is interwoven under the name 'Jjan.'
A meal at Jjan is not just an ordinary meal. As Chef Jo Young-jae says, food revives the body, and 'jang' is what connects most closely to the body. Therefore, at Jjan, they strive to convey genuine ingredients, true flavors, and real seasons. After enjoying dishes completed through the five senses, including homemade rice wine and music, the body responds first. 'Ah, that was delicious.'
—Please introduce yourself.
I am Jo Young-jae of Bangbae Jjan. I started cooking with Japanese cuisine. After attending a sushi academy in Japan, I completed an apprenticeship at a sushi restaurant in Ginza. Then, I returned to Korea and worked at a Japanese restaurant for two years, and in 2020, I opened my first space, 'Towa.' Three years ago, after meeting a teacher in Jeju, I discovered 'delicious health.' That connection led me to open my current establishment.
—What kind of place is Jjan?
Jjan is my own experimental space that integrates Japanese cuisine with Korean fermentation. Initially, it started with finding pickles that pair well with sushi. I realized that with the same fish, depending on which pickles accompany it, the flavor can be entirely different. Napa cabbage or aged kimchi pairs well with white fish, while prickly ash or perilla works well with blue fish. I first felt that the combinations of fermentation are endless at that time.
—What does 'Jjan' mean?
What I do is essentially the act of creating 'Jjan.' Jang, salt, jeotgal, and pickling all originate from Jjan. Utilizing seasonal ingredients also extends from that. In spring, I think of ingredients that exude floral scents, and in summer, I naturally recall ingredients that capture the essence of the season, like watermelon. I want to capture this sense in my food.
—What direction does Jjan pursue?
I want to convey the philosophy of 'Food and medicine share the same origin,' which emphasizes that 'eating well is living well.' At some point, Confucius mentioned, 'No one goes without eating, but few know the true taste of it.' Jjan is a space to showcase that 'true taste.'
—I'm curious about Jjan's method for selecting ingredients.
I insist on using seasonal natural products. In spring, I use products like deodeok and ume blossom shoots, and in summer, I present seasonal fish along with fruit vinegar or fermented jam. I directly choose seafood from places like Jeju, Tongyeong, and Jindo, and most fish, like flounder or flatfish, are wild-caught. Farmed fish grow fed with feed and antibiotics, giving a synthetic taste. I also use wild vegetables from Ganghwa or vegetables grown without pesticides. For kimchi, I use napa cabbage grown under contract in Muju.
—I'm curious about the reason for incorporating pickles and jang into Japanese cuisine.
I used to not know much about pickles, but after tasting pickles that were properly fermented using traditional methods, I became captivated by their unique flavors. When I first visited the home of a fermentation teacher through a friend's introduction, I dipped my finger into soy sauce, and at that moment, I felt a revelation about what kind of dish I should create. This happened in 2022. Since then, I started studying and using jang and pickles seriously.
—Why do you use jang and pickles?
Fermented ingredients contain living microorganisms that aid digestion and make the body comfortable. I've also heard they don't spike blood sugar levels drastically. From a flavor perspective, adding pickles creates an additional 'layer' compared to relying solely on soy sauce. The aroma and texture of vegetables complement the deep taste of the soy sauce.
—How are fermentation, aging, and pickling utilized at Jjan?
Fermentation is fundamentally the backbone of all dishes at Jjan. Doenjang, ganjang, and gochujang are basic, and I use seasonal fruits to make jams or fruit ssamjang. To prevent spoilage of the fish, it is only aged for up to three days, and cleaning is done with salt only. The jang is based on a 130-year-old traditional soy sauce, and every year, fresh soy sauce is brewed. I incorporate red ginseng into the doenjang and use sap from the Korean mountain plum tree in the gochujang. Fish is marinated in pickle juice, for instance, mackerel is soaked in chive pickle juice, and white fish is cured with napa cabbage pickle juice. Just to mention lightly, I’m also testing pickle juice in the sushi rice. (laughs)
—If you have a representative dish, please introduce it.
It's Bonchobap. It's sushi made by marinating mackerel in pickle juice, which is totally different from Japanese-style vinegar marinades. Currently, I marinate saury and serve it topped with pickles. Even those accustomed to Japanese cuisine are fascinated when the flavors of pickles are added. I also frequently serve seasonal fish, combining them with Korean elements. For example, in spring, I pair flatfish with light napa cabbage or kimchi; in summer, I use chives with gizzard shad; in autumn, I serve mackerel with perilla and prickly ash; and in winter, I combine oily yellowtail with kimchi pickles. The composition featuring sashimi, pickles, and three types of jang is also unique to Jjan.
—What is the reason for transitioning from sushi omakase 'Towa' to 'Jjan'?
I wanted to explore Korean fermentation ingredients more deeply, breaking out of the confines of sushi. It wasn't just a simple renewal; it was a philosophical shift. However, this doesn't mean that Towa has closed down. Once the experiments at Jjan reach a certain point of maturity, I plan to reopen Towa.
—If there are other areas of interest besides jang and pickles, what are they?
Recently, I have been very interested in homemade liquor. I am infusing alcohol with ingredients like deodeok, wild chives, and Korean primrose, and experimenting with food pairings. For the aperitif, I prepare a soft deodeok liquor without being overwhelming, followed by a prickly ash liquor in the middle, and a sweet gaedaerae liquor to finish.
—Do you have any future goals?
My goal is to create a 'cooking school' that embodies the philosophy of fermentation and food. I want to operate a restaurant alongside it, creating a structure where graduates can work. I dream of a space where health can be maintained through food and culture can continue.
—If you were to express your life as a food, what would it be?
It would be soy sauce. When observing its production process, living shellfish ferment and dissolve without shape but later come back to life with deep flavors. It requires time. Although it may not be flashy, it possesses a solid and rich taste. That reflects the life I aspire to live.
—If you have a message for customers visiting Jjan, what would it be?
I want to showcase the 'true taste' mentioned earlier. I hope that through meals containing seasonal ingredients, naturally grown vegetables, and jang crafted with time and care, customers can experience genuine food. Authentic food ultimately leads to living well and eating well. Of course, changing one's eating habits all at once is difficult. However, simply having an interest will make the body respond positively.