Kang Min-seok looked at me, gauging my reaction, and spoke with a smile.
“Please be honest with me. I already know how capable you are, Mr. Jeong. In fact, the more ideas I have, the better. Even if it’s not for right now, dining menus need to be rotated periodically anyway.”
Only then did I feel relieved enough to speak. I was actually grateful that a chef like Kang Min-seok wanted my honest opinion.
“The food for today’s event is truly perfect. I obviously have nothing to say when it comes to the taste.”
I paused for a moment to see his reaction. ‘Could he misunderstand what I’m saying?’
However, he gave a firm nod. It was a gesture telling me to continue.
“But from the perspective of Japanese influencers… I think it might be difficult for them to feel a clear distinction from Wagyu.”
Kang Min-seok’s expression darkened slightly. It wasn’t because he was offended, but because my words hit exactly what he had been worried about. He fell into thought for a moment and eventually let out a sigh.
“To be honest, that was my biggest concern as well. But I can’t exactly change the event menu at this stage.”
“No, no. I’m not saying you should change the menu…”
Startled, I waved my hands hurriedly. ‘That’s not what I meant…’
“Your course meal is perfect, Chef. However, what if we added one final blow that the guests will remember?”
“A final blow?”
Kang Min-seok narrowed his eyes and asked back. For the first time, a spark of curiosity appeared in his gaze.
“Do you happen to have any small grills?”
“Yes, we do. We have a few charcoal grills prepared for the tables.”
“Then, let’s add just two more things at the end of the course. The purpose of today’s event is to leave a strong impression on the influencers, isn’t it?”
I pointed to the ribeye steak sitting on the table.
“How about cutting the meat thicker than a steak, searing the outside over a strong direct flame, and serving exactly one piece at the very end?”
“Thicker? Just one piece?”
I thought back to the reactions of people who used to enjoy Wagyu. Then and now, the limitations of Wagyu were clear.
“Wagyu is high in fat, so if you cut it thick, it becomes greasy. Japanese people know that well, so they usually eat Wagyu at a moderate thickness.”
Kang Min-seok was well aware of this fact.
“You’re right. If Wagyu is cut too thick, the fat becomes overwhelming.”
“Furthermore, if you grill it over a strong fire, too much oil melts out, making it even heavier. But aged Hanwoo is completely different. During the aging process, the fat flavor stabilizes and the muscle fibers change, so even when cut thick, it remains elastic and clean. It’s not greasy like Wagyu.”
Kang Min-seok began to show more and more interest. I could see the light in his eyes changing in real time. No matter how talented and experienced a chef is, there are limits to designing an entire menu alone. There were bound to be things he was missing. I wanted to help him find them.
“Also, Hanwoo handles the smoky aroma of a direct flame much better. Wagyu is delicate, so if the charcoal scent is too strong, it ruins the original taste of the meat. In contrast, the fire actually adds a deep flavor to Hanwoo.”
Kang Min-seok thought for a moment and asked, “But there are ways to eat Wagyu over charcoal in Japan too, like yakiniku or robatayaki…”
He was right. Japan certainly had a culture of grilling Wagyu over charcoal, so simply grilling it wasn’t anything new. However, even if the act of grilling wasn’t new, he surely knew that how you grill it can result in countless variations of a dish.
“True. But there’s a difference. Japanese charcoal-grilled Wagyu is usually sliced thin and grilled carefully over a medium fire. They do that so the fat doesn’t melt excessively.”
“Ah, yes, that’s true.”
“What I’m suggesting is a different approach. Cut it thick and sear only the outside over a strong flame. If you did this with Wagyu, too much oil would leak out, making it unpleasant to eat in one bite.”
President Yoon spoke up with an expression of understanding. “Ah, so the cooking method itself is different. Even if it’s both charcoal-grilled.”
“Yes. Japanese people are familiar with yakiniku, but they find it difficult to handle Wagyu with this kind of thickness and heat intensity. But Hanwoo is optimized for this method.”
Kang Min-seok’s eyes flashed.
“So, after satisfying them sufficiently with the course, we give them a completely different dimension of experience at the very end. With just one piece.”
“Yes. And how about serving beef tartare along with the grilled meat?”
“Beef tartare?”
Kang Min-seok thought for a moment and then nodded.
“To be honest, I didn’t exclude tartare from the start. But since we already have tartare and carpaccio, I thought there might be too many raw meat dishes, so I left it out for today.”
“But since they’re Japanese, aren’t they used to raw food anyway? They have sashimi and all…” President Yoon asked.
Most people would think like President Yoon. However, Japan’s raw meat culture had a complicated history.
“If we’re talking about fish, that’s true… but meat, especially beef, is completely different. In 2011, there was a major accident in Japan where five people died after eating beef tartare. It was caused by a company that sold it to a yakiniku chain.”
Kang Min-seok nodded. “The whole of Japan was in an uproar back then. I remember it because I was working in Japan at the time.”
“Exactly. After that incident, it became incredibly difficult to eat beef tartare in Japan.”
President Yoon asked in surprise, “Something like that happened? I don’t remember it at all… then again, I don’t even know all the incidents in our own country…”
“Most people in our country don’t seem to know much about it.”
“Then, is beef tartare banned?”
“Well, it’s a bit ambiguous.”
I continued the explanation, waving my hand.
“There are many rumors among Koreans that beef tartare is completely banned in Japan, but that’s actually incorrect. It has never been legally banned.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Even the quick-witted President Yoon tilted his head, not understanding right away.
“The problem is the regulations. To sell beef tartare in Japan, you have to pass incredibly strict hygiene standards. For example…”
I began counting them off on my fingers. The Japanese regulations were so complex that I had to list them one by one.
“First, the surface of the meat must be heat-treated at 60 degrees for at least 2 minutes. Then, that surface layer must be completely removed, and only the inner meat can be used. Furthermore, it must be processed by a qualified person in a dedicated facility…”
“Good grief, that’s really complicated. They’re basically saying don’t eat it.”
“Yes. Those are regulations that are almost impossible for most general restaurants to follow. Because of that, while it’s not banned, it’s effectively the same as being banned.”
Kang Min-seok agreed.
“I struggled a lot with those regulations when I worked in Japan. The beef tartare served in high-end Japanese restaurants is completely different from the fully raw tartare we eat here. It’s essentially a version that has gone through surface treatment as a safety measure.”
I told Kang Min-seok my idea.
“But since you happen to have tenderloin for the tartare today, instead of the usual Korean style made with round or eye of round, try making the tartare with tenderloin.”
“Tenderloin tartare…”
Kang Min-seok’s eyes sparkled again.
“Japanese people have a preference for softness. Tenderloin is the softest part.”
President Yoon also began to show interest. “Ah, then it would be perfect for Japanese tastes.”
“And since they can’t commonly taste this kind of completely raw meat in Japan… the last thing is always what people remember best.”
Kang Min-seok looked satisfied.
“That’s a great idea. We let them experience an intense fire flavor with the charcoal grill, and immediately follow it up with extreme softness and the pure taste of raw meat with the tenderloin tartare.”
“Yes. You’re giving them two completely opposite experiences in a row. From something hot and intense to something cold and soft.”
President Yoon was also impressed. “That would be a very memorable conclusion. They’ll be enjoying a flavor that is practically forbidden to them. After all, it’s human nature to want to do something more when you’re told not to. Haha.”
“Exactly.”
I turned back to Kang Min-seok. “But Chef, doesn’t Japanese cuisine have a culture of closing dishes to begin with? I think I’ve heard of it…”
Kang Min-seok’s eyes lit up. “Ah, you’re talking about shime! You’re right. In Japan, there is a culture of serving a shime dish at the end of a course. Usually, it’s finished with carbohydrates like rice or udon, but…”
He continued with an excited expression. “But using meat as a shime is a very unique idea. Especially if it’s a method that’s hard to do with Wagyu…”
“Right. It will be a new experience for the Japanese guests.”
Color finally returned to his face.
“I think this will be truly impressive. At the moment they are satisfied after eating the entire course, if we give them such a strong impression with the final shime…”
He closed his eyes slightly as if imagining the scene.
“It would be great if the influencers introduced it as our restaurant’s signature shime when they post on social media…”
President Yoon agreed. “Then you’re respecting Japanese culture while also showing off your restaurant’s unique characteristics, Chef Kang.”
“I should definitely go with this then. But which cut would be best for the grill? I suppose sirloin would be best?”
I thought for a moment. Sirloin was good, but…
“How about striploin?”
“Striploin?”
Striploin is a truly attractive cut. Located on the back of the cow, between the ribeye and the round, it sits behind the ribeye and outside the tenderloin, possessing characteristics of both.
Striploin is a cut favored by both Koreans and Japanese alike. The reason is the texture that comes from this special location. It’s not as soft as the ribeye, but it has a nice elasticity. It’s not as delicate as the tenderloin, but it’s plenty soft. This characteristic becomes even more pronounced after aging.
Wagyu, due to its excessive marbling, makes it difficult to properly highlight the inherent elasticity of the striploin. However, aged Hanwoo striploin is different. It has an excellent balance of lean meat and fat, making it perfect for enjoying the original texture of the cut.
“Ah, you want to highlight the unique texture of Hanwoo striploin, which is different from Wagyu.”
Being a talented chef, he understood my thoughts instantly.
“Exactly. If you sear the outside over a strong direct flame, the outside becomes crispy while the inside stays moist, providing a fun chewing experience. It’s not easy to produce this kind of texture with Wagyu.”
President Yoon nodded as well. “That’s true. Striploin is a popular cut in Korea, too. And it gets even better when aged by someone like you, Mr. Jeong.”
Kang Min-seok looked at me for a moment and then showed an expression of admiration.
“I must say, Mr. Jeong, you are truly amazing. Not only your understanding of meat but also your knowledge of how it harmonizes with cooking methods… I think you know more than most chefs.”
President Yoon cut in from the side. “He’s beyond a meat expert; he’s practically a meat genius.”
“Oh… I wouldn’t go that far.”
Kang Min-seok looked truly grateful.
“In any case, I’m so glad you came today. Now I feel confident.”
I checked the time. There were about 3 hours left until the start of the event.
“Well then, we should head back up to Seoul now. I hope today’s event goes well, and please let me know the results later.”
“Yes, I’ll definitely contact you. Thank you so much.”
Kang Min-seok gave a deep bow. Confidence had returned to his face. As he headed toward the kitchen, he shouted to his staff.
“Let’s get the striploin ready!”
***
On the highway leaving Busan for Seoul, the truck was quiet. President Yoon was focusing on driving, and I was reflecting on the day while looking out at the scenery.
“Mr. Jeong.”
President Yoon, who had been driving for a while, spoke up.
“You mentioned the pigs from Hyeongje Clean Farm when we were coming down to Busan earlier.”
“Yes.”
“Then, do you really intend to bring in all the grades of pigs from Hyeongje Clean Farm? Until now, we only picked and brought in the top-quality ones.”
President Yoon turned his head to look at me. It was a continuation of the conversation we had on the way down.
“Yes, I think I have to.”
At my answer, President Yoon’s expression turned strange.
“Hmm… Knowing your personality, Mr. Jeong, I don’t think you’ll charge the same price for all of them when you sell them to customers…”
“…”
When I fell into thought without answering, President Yoon turned his head again to look at me.
“Mr. Jeong, you have something else in mind, don’t you?”
President Yoon was indeed quick on the uptake. Having spent time together, he seemed to have grasped my tendencies accurately.
“I’m thinking of trying a new challenge in Ga-yeong-dong.”
“A challenge? What is it?”
President Yoon’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. I looked out the window, took a deep breath, and finally spoke.
“I’m thinking of implementing our own grading system for pork. I want to make the first attempt in Ga-yeong-dong.”
“What?!”
Startled, President Yoon turned his head to stare at me. He gripped the steering wheel so hard that the truck wobbled slightly.
“Mr. Jeong, you really… think differently. Anyone else would just be thinking about making money now that Mega Meat has withdrawn.”
“Wait, I am doing this to make money.”
Actually, why wouldn’t I want to make money? I’m not a philanthropist. If I said I didn’t feel the temptation to be rewarded for all the hardships I’ve faced with high sales or profits, I wouldn’t be human.
Now that I’ve taken control of the Ga-yeong-dong market, I could sell only what I want to sell. Customers would have no choice but to come to our shop. I could exploit that weakness and run the business with a ‘whatever is good for me’ attitude. Just like Mega Meat did.
But if I did that, how would I be any different from Park Jungnam, whom I despised so much? I would just be a slightly nicer version of Park Jungnam. I might start by saying I’m thinking of the customers, but as time passed, I would surely become blinded by profit and eventually turn into someone like him.
I didn’t want to be that kind of businessman. Even if I made money, I wanted to earn it in a meaningful way.
President Yoon fell silent for a moment before speaking with a worried expression.
“It won’t be easy, Mr. Jeong.”
His voice suddenly became serious.
“The government actually tried similar policies a few times in the past. But in the end, they all failed.”