Chef Imokase shook up the deserted island with a Korean meal on 'It's good to take a break.'
On the 60th episode of the MBC entertainment program 'It's good to take a break' (abbreviated as 'It's good'), which aired on Nov. 11, new face Chef Kim Mi-ryeong of 'Imokase' challenged original chefs Lee Yeon-bok, Raymond Kim, and Jung Ho-young.
Especially on this day, 'It's good' captivated viewers with an unprecedented cooking contest, and the broadcast recorded the highest viewer rating among all entertainment programs aired on Monday, according to Nielsen Korea nationwide household standards. Previously, the island CEO Ahn Jung-hwan had expressed attachment to the program by mentioning his two children, daughter Lee Won and son Lee Hwan, saying, "It has to be passed down through generations." The steady performance of 'It's good' made this plausible.
On this day, the master of Korean cuisine, Chef Kim Mi-ryeong of Imokase, made a new appearance on the deserted island. Dressed in traditional Korean attire, he confidently declared, "I heard you are having a hard time, but since I am here, don't worry." However, the original chefs displayed their dominance by saying, "Cooking on a deserted island is no easy task."
As warned by the original chefs, Imokase faced difficulties from the start. He even threw off his hallmark traditional outfit and jumped into the sea to try his hand at sea harvesting, but he struggled to find ingredients. The octopus he managed to catch had to be released due to the fishing ban, and the mood quickly soured.
The ingredients caught through sea harvesting were insufficient for the four chefs to cook. Thus, they split into teams with Chef Imokase and Han Ji-hye and another team with Yoo Hee-kwan and Nam Chang-hee to continue harvesting. A variety of seafood was caught on both boats, and particularly, the chef team cheered when they caught rockfish, known for its delicious flavor. The captain served the rockfish sashimi immediately, and Imokase could not contain his admiration for the taste of 'Baemakase,' which he was trying for the first time.
Upon returning to the deserted island and before starting to cook in earnest, the competition began fiercely even in dividing the ingredients. At this time, Imokase boldly declared, "Since this is my first time on the deserted island, I will use rockfish, abalone, and cuttlefish." The original chefs could only nod in concession to his charisma. However, Lee Yeon-bok revealed, "I will see how well you can cook," eliciting laughter.
To not lose to Imokase's cooking, the three original chefs decided to team up to create a 'original set.' Lee Yeon-bok presented a unique 'fried dumpling' made with rockfish and shrimp, while Jung Ho-young showcased sushi made with mackerel that had been aged the day before, accented by charcoal grilling, called 'grilled mackerel sushi.' Raymond Kim captured both visual appeal and texture with a 'yellowtail steak' topped with potato scales.
In response, Imokase completed a light 'Andong-guksu' boiled in rockfish broth and sweet and sour 'cuttlefish bo ssam' in just 20 minutes, stating, "I will suppress everything you have eaten before." The Korean meal evoked admiration from the guests, and praises poured in, with one saying, "I can't think of the original chefs anymore." Jung Ho-young marveled, "You really cook well even on a deserted island. This is the first chef I have seen adapt so quickly," while the satisfied 'CEO Ahn' Ahn Jung-hwan declared, "From now on, it will be a system of unlimited competition."
A teaser revealed at the end of the broadcast depicted 'CEO Ahn' Ahn Jung-hwan preparing to operate a restaurant on the deserted island with athletes Lee Dae-ho, Lee Dae-hyung, and Lee Dae-eun, raising curiosity. 'It's good to take a break' airs every Monday night at 9 p.m.
[Photo] OSEN DB, provided by MBC.
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