Worldly chef craves Korean short ribs
Sven Neuert Executive chef, Sheraton Incheon Hotel. Provided by the Sheraton Incheon Hotel
In this regard, consider Sven Neuert, executive chef of the Sheraton Incheon Hotel, one of the blessed.
Born into a German restaurateur family, Neuert, 37, had always been attentive to the culinary world around him before later deciding to pursue it as a career.
“I would help out my grandmother and mother in their restaurant,” the chef said, noting that making and tasting food was a part of his life since an early age.
A bowl of galbijjim, or steamed short ribs. Provided by Jingogae
To date, he has worked in nine countries, including his latest, Korea. Neuert arrived here last December to help prepare for the opening of the Sheraton Incheon Hotel in Songdo, Incheon. The hotel officially opened this August.
“Being a chef, I find opportunities to discover and experience different ways of life,” Neuert said, noting that food can provide a window into other cultures.
Since arriving in Korea, Neuert has been inspired to visit and experience other countries in Asia to learn about and better understand the history of the region’s food, people and culture.
So what is the chef’s favorite Korean dish?
None other than the popular local staple galbijjim, or steamed short ribs. Neuert says he is entranced by galbijjim’s “balanced flavor and the taste of sweetness and soy sauce.”
That leads to an obvious follow-up question: What’s the best place in Seoul to get the dish?
His answer: Jingogae, which is located in Chungmuro in the central part of the city. This traditional Korean eatery specializes in ribs as well as gyejang, or small crabs in soy sauce.
He admits that the service isn’t very amicable and that the interior is a bit rundown - the restaurant first opened in 1963 and hasn’t undergone many renovations. But it’s the food that makes Jingogae worth a visit.
“My friends invited me to the restaurant recently, and this is where I would like to take my other friends to experience good traditional Korean food,” he said.
The restaurant, located near Chungmuro Station, line No. 3, exit 6, is open every day from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. A small dish of galbijjim and rice is 35,000 won ($29.92), while gyejang will cost you 12,000 won.
By Lee Eun-joo [angie@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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