'Climate Environment Project — The Chef of Antarctica' showed members including Paik Jong-won and Im Soo-hyang struggling as they served the first meal to the personnel at the King Sejong Station in Antarctica.
On the 24th broadcast of MBC entertainment program 'Climate Environment Project — The Chef of Antarctica', the second day was depicted.
That day was the first morning in Antarctica. Paik Jong-won's mission was to prepare meals for the station personnel, but the conditions were far worse than expected. Most of the ingredients, such as meat purchased in Korea 1 year and 6 months earlier and vegetables in poor condition, were already at their limits. The supply ship carrying ingredients was scheduled to arrive only in January next year, so at that time they had to hold out for about two more months.
Because it came at the time when ingredients were most scarce, Paik Jong-won confessed, "I thought chefs had done very well even during lean times. On the other hand, I lost confidence thinking 'what should I do'."
Especially with not even frozen green onions available, Paik Jong-won sighed, "It was despair itself." The absence of green onions, a basic of basics, was such a shock it could become the biggest hurdle of his culinary life. After checking the freezer himself, he could not hide his emptiness, saying, "We can do it, I wanted to see the freezer but... it's so empty."
The freezer contained only ingredients covered in frost and browned meats, and most of the ingredients had passed their expiration dates by more than a year. Paik Jong-won poured out his worries, saying, "Hope collapsed. There are no ingredients. What should I do," but in the end he steadied himself, saying, "I will do my best with the remaining ingredients."
After trials and tribulations, the first meal mission was completed safely, and the members said in their impressions, "It was better than expected."
But the real ordeal came the next day. Assigned to support the station's emergency duties, the members began moving in severe weather with a wind chill of minus 17 degrees, blizzards and strong winds. The terrain was so rough that the snowcat could not properly enter, and because of sudden terrain changes they had to get out of the vehicle and move on foot.
Outside, the wind was so strong it nearly knocked them over. The weather worsened, and the snowfall intensified to the point that maintaining visibility was difficult. The sections with accumulated snow looked almost impossible to step on.
Especially in a storm strong enough to shake the camera, the members said, "It could be dangerous if we're not careful," unable to steady themselves, and precarious moments continued as they approached each ridge as if they might fall. Im Soo-hyang recalled the situation, saying, "A cliff like an abyss, the wind was so strong I felt like I would fall if I slipped."
After completing the arduous trek and arriving at the ridge, Im Soo-hyang said in her impression, "The path was physically tough, but I gained a very precious experience in Antarctica."<
[Photo] 'The Chef of Antarctica' broadcast capture
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