Mom's Touch announced that starting from the 18th of next month, it will sequentially launch three items in the "Edward Lee Chef Collection," featuring recipes developed directly by Chef Edward Lee. Starting from the 10th of next month, pre-orders will be available at 12 Mom's Touch direct stores in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area.
On the 21st, Mom's Touch held a press conference at the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, to introduce its new menu, the "Edward Lee Chef Collection," which includes one chicken dish and two types of burgers. Chef Lee noted, "I thought about how to appeal to Korean consumers," and added, "I didn't aim to use the recipes exactly as they are used in American restaurants." He also mentioned, "This is the first time Mom's Touch has collaborated closely with a brand," indicating that a lot of effort has been put into the research and development.
The new chicken menu being launched this time is the "Edward Lee Big Spicy Chicken Piece." It incorporates a "bourbon sauce" developed by Chef Lee, based on bourbon whiskey, which is a representative beverage from Kentucky, into Mom's Touch's signature menu item, the "Big Spicy Chicken Piece." The signature sauce, which also appears in Chef Lee's book "Bourbonland," is characterized by its sweet flavor. He said, "The most popular thing in American stores is the bourbon whiskey sauce," and emphasized that this aspect is what he focused on the most for Korean consumers during this collaboration.
The two new burger items feature a bacon jam sauce developed by Chef Lee, applied to Mom's Touch's signature burgers, the "Grilled Beef Burger" and the "Spicy Burger." The bacon jam sauce is made by finely chopping bacon and simmering it in sugar to create a jam-like consistency. Chef Lee explained, "I wondered how we could have the same amount of bacon in every bite of the burger, and concluded that making a jam would be the answer," adding, "It can be spread evenly on the bread for a consistent taste." The bacon jam has become popular in the U.S. as a spread for sandwiches and burgers. A Mom's Touch representative noted, "We finely chop the bacon while preserving its chewiness."
Mom's Touch will sequentially start selling the new chicken menu from the 18th of next month, followed by two burger types at nationwide Mom's Touch franchise stores in early March. The two burger new items featuring Edward Lee's recipes are set to be previewed at select direct stores at the end of February before being launched nationwide in March.
The prices for the new menu are expected to be announced around the time pre-orders begin. Starting from the 5th of next month, pre-orders can be made through Naver at 12 stores in the metropolitan area (DDP store, Seolleung Station store, Gangnam-daero store, Seoksu Station DT store, Sadang Station store, Myeongdong store, Hongdae IPGU store, Hakdong Station store, Dosan-daero store, Bangbae Station store, Garden Yeoksam store, Terrace Yongsan store). The sale of the chicken new menu for pre-order customers will start from the 10th of next month.
A representative from Mom's Touch said, "We plan to strengthen the menu manufacturing and quality at franchise stores to ensure that the recipes developed by Chef Edward Lee can be perfectly implemented in all Mom's Touch stores nationwide," and added, "Before the official release, we will conduct strict quality tests across all franchise stores and will focus on quality management until the taste and flavor of the new menu are perfectly achieved."
Mom's Touch plans to introduce menus in collaboration with Edward Lee sequentially throughout the year, starting with these three new products. All expenses related to recipes and model contracts will be covered entirely by the headquarters.
A representative from Mom's Touch said, "It's significant that we can offer the 'taste of Chef Edward Lee,' which I could only imagine through TV, at Mom's Touch locations nationwide," and urged, "Starting with the 'Edward Lee Collection,' we hope for your interest in the various collaborations we will present together throughout this year."