01 November 2012

[Cooking Story] Korean Food Contest 2012 Report+Pics!


So, finally on October 6th we participated in the 3rd Korean Food Contest on Mall Taman Anggrek, Jakarta. At first there was a misunderstanding between me and Dea about our participation but we found the way out and decided to participate in the contest.

One day before the contest, I planned to go to Sorak Restaurant in my campus because the Unnie who owns the restaurant (actually its her husband--she is Indonesian) is a very nice person and often teach us how to cook korean food. The last Delicious Seoul Story contest we were being taught by her, but unfortunately that day unnie went to her hometown with her husband so she can't teach us how to make Japchae in the right way. Actually we made Japchae already in our first Delicious Seoul Story Contest last year but this time we made it live, so we have to make sure we made it properly. That time (D-1) I got an email from korean embassy's staff telling me that they cancelled the rules about bringing additional ingredients, when I just thinking about using Tempe (again) as our additional ingredients. That time, I thought we're only make one dish (pick one between Japchae or Ddak maeunjjim) but suddenly I got confused and emailed the staff and the staff said WE HAVE TO MAKE BOTH DISHES. WHAT IT IS. I was worried because i have no idea what is ddak maeunjjim at all--- i went to google but i didn't find the same actual recipe...actually its kind of spicy bruised chicken but I got very confused all night then i got this idea to search for the recipe on naver, using my very limited korean skill. Thanks God the time I type Ddak maeunjjim in hangeul, tons of recipes comes out and i feel like....relieved...in the middle of the night and learn all the recipe which comes out in hangeul--thanks to google translate and decide to go sleep at 2 am because I have to present at the venue before 11 am in the following day.

The Day is come -- Dea and I decided to meet around Pondok Indah and went there by public bus. The contest' venue is a place we didn't come often, so its quite unfamiliar for us. That day, we wore the same blue cardigan and arrived at Taman Anggrek around 10.30 AM. The moment I saw the venue.....I got a mental breakdown........because the cooking table looks exactly like I saw in Mastef Chef and I got very nervous.... its also located in the heart of the mall, so everyone---from first floor till fourth floor can take a peek at us and so many people came!

So take a look at some pics before the contest.
Preparation time... Really like masterchef right?

look at the crowd! its no joke 0_0

Adry in chapron:)

Dea in chapron :)
Selca before the contest started!
I originally plan to take some pics or even a video when I cook to be posted in my youtube channel, but really.. I HAVE NO TIME! I was so nervous because the judges and cameraman come back and forth.. looking at every things I do, and I was so hectic doing this and that and some thing didn't happened in the way that I wanted to. I was a bit sorry to Dea because at the time like this, I usually start being bossy and I know she knew that side of me so well as we work together so many times (Love you, my partner xoxo). And WE HAVE NO MUCH TIME LEFT. The MC keep reminding us about the remaining time and everytime he did that, I feel like my knees will fall to the ground. You know what? I even took my shoes out because I wear wedges that time and thats so uncomfortable, so I do the whole thing BAREFOOT (but i think no one realize and see that, lol).
The ddakmaeunjim proccess doing well, but the Japchae isn't. We got a problem with the carrots because we really can't cut it thinly. The problem is the knife! The knife was too big for us, as we usually cut with small knife at home, and Dea was so scared that time so I have to be calm and try to cut the veggies as small as I can. I also made a mistake (not really a mistake actually, its an understanding) because I thought we have to cook ALL the ingredients they gave to us. The chicken is like...ummm...freaking 1 kilograms? and I cooked all of them, but because the pan is not so big (its pink, btw. I really want to take it home but the staff took it right away after the contest T_T) so the chicken having a tough time cooked theirselves. So many funny things happened in the cooking proccess and let that be Dea and me secret lol XD One hour passed and in the end, we managed to make it! Thanks God half of the chicken cooked perfectly (while the other half didn't) and The Japchae is ok, too, eventho i feel its tasteless T_T

so here look at the photos after the cooking ended!
Dak Maeunjjim and Japchae by Haengbok Team! ^^
Uri-neun Haengbok-tim-ieyo! ^^






The Judges try out our dishes :) He is Korean Embassy's Senior Chef

Jal mokseumnidaa! >u< 




We felt relieved and very satiesfied with our dishes.. I mean, its not perfect but its ok ^^ I was so happy and proud because I decide to make some cute signboard for the dishes so that the Korean Embassy happily took photos of our dish with his phone..and in the end took our photos also kk ^^ Around 15 Minutes later, the MC announced the result and...... *drumroll* WE GOT LOVE CHEF AWARD!! well...its a WOW!! We really didn't expect this because of the mess we made at the cooking proccess, lol, its not the first place anyway but WE'RE EXTREMELY HAPPY! Later I found out that my mom and dad also coming to watch but they arrived 5 mins before the cooking end, but I'm happy that they came!

Love chef award! Surprise!!

happy faceee~~

Haengbok team with my mom ^^

hectic by ourselves kk

time to pack out....
So, thats the end of our first *real-life* cooking contest.. Dea and I really happy and we feel that we got a very precious memory and great experience that will help us go through our next cooking contest (if there's any).. We sure will participate again in this kind of contest in the future, also Delicious Seoul Story Video Contest...we will not miss it every year (until we win of course).. Ah, there are many ingredients left unused in the contest and they say we're able to take it home, so... maybe i'll make some korean food at home using some of the ingredients.. wait for this! hehe and see you in another cooking story! Haengbokhaseyo~~ (Be happy~) ^^

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