Mom's Touch said on the 3rd it will roll out three "Hou Deok-juk Collection" items, infused with the craft of Chinese-cuisine chef Hou Deok-juk, at about 1,490 stores nationwide on the 12th. The new lineup includes the "Hou Deok-juk Thigh Burger," the "Hou Deok-juk Whole Shrimp Burger," and the chicken series "Hou Deok-juk Big Thigh Boneless."
Mom's Touch held a press roundtable that day at the Mom's Touch R&D Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, and stated accordingly, "This project focuses less on short-term buzz and more on showing where the brand is headed." Chef Hou is a legendary chef who led the Shilla Hotel's Chinese restaurant Palsun. He is regarded as the first in the industry to become a senior executive at a conglomerate based solely on culinary skill.
A Mom's Touch official said, "Chef Hou has spent 58 years on the front line, emphasizing the ingredients' inherent flavors and the basics. Despite his long career, he has never stopped trying new things," adding, "Mom's Touch has also grown by expanding categories rather than settling for existing menus. We thought Chef Hou and Mom's Touch shared a similar direction."
They added, "Chef Hou had already earned deep trust among middle-aged and older customers, and through 'Culinary Class Wars' season 2, he also gained high recognition among Millennials and Gen Z," saying, "We determined that collaborating with Chef Hou would allow Mom's Touch to naturally reach new customer segments."
At the roundtable, Chef Hou said, "I became interested as I watched my grandchildren regularly enjoy Mom's Touch burgers and chicken," adding, "The taste of a burger is determined by the sauce. I wondered whether various sauces from Chinese cuisine would suit burgers. But I gained confidence that burger sauces do not have to be American style and studied how to harmonize them with Chinese-cuisine sauces."
In fact, the new menu features Chinese-cuisine-based sauces that are not commonly found in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) market, such as yuxiang (fish-fragrant) sauce and Sichuan-style chili sauce. It is not a simple "Chinese-inspired" take; instead, they say they adapted recipes that achieved high satisfaction at five-star hotel Chinese restaurants to fit burgers and chicken.
The Hou Deok-juk Thigh Burger tops a chicken thigh patty with a spicy-sweet chili sauce. It is designed so the aroma of chili oil, the tomato's acidity, and the umami of doubanjiang can be felt in layers. The Hou Deok-juk Whole Shrimp Burger reinterprets the hotel Chinese restaurant dish "cream shrimp," adding a bright lemon finish to the cream sauce.
What especially stands out in the burgers is the use of gungchae instead of the pickles typically found in standard burgers, enhancing the crunch. Chef Hou said, "Using gungchae instead of pickles was a bold challenge," but added, "Pickles contain a lot of moisture, which can make the bun soggy, whereas gungchae maximizes the crisp texture." He added, "Burgers should be eaten warm in a single bite to fully enjoy their taste."
Hou Deok-juk Big Thigh Boneless incorporates Chef Hou's 58-year secret "yuxiang sauce." The complex blend of spicy, tangy, and sweet flavors was developed so the chicken stands on its own as an excellent Chinese-style dish.
Mom's Touch said it poured the know-how accumulated through last year's collaboration with chef Edward Lee into developing this menu. A Mom's Touch official said, "We have built development processes and expertise to replicate chefs' recipes consistently across stores nationwide," adding, "In this collaboration, we standardized everything down to sauce ratios, cooking times, and detailed procedures. Through repeated testing and simulations, we designed it so the same taste and quality are delivered at 1,490 stores nationwide."
Mom's Touch plans to minimize on-site variance through systemwide franchisee training and quality checks. The company also plans to continue expanding collaborations with chefs, contributing to customer satisfaction and increased franchisee sales.