Chemistry

8.The Chemistry Behind Cooking (7)

Jeong-woo was so curious that he lightly dipped his chopsticks into the daegujorim (braised cod) sauce left on the dining table to taste it.

‘Hmm?’

A strong, striking saltiness hit his tongue. Along with it, the familiar aroma of seasoning that he had encountered daily in the kitchen emerged.

It was unmistakably the taste of his mother’s cooking, unparalleled and distinctive.

Jeong-woo’s gaze turned towards the essence of that familiar taste, placed on his mother’s cooking station.

Two packets of beef and anchovy broth.

That was what had captivated the elderly’s palates. Jeong-woo finally realized.

It wasn’t a battle to win by creating a perfect dish. It was simply about satisfying the taste buds of those elderly individuals.

Hyun-min, standing at the cooking station, displayed an anxious expression as he contemplated.

“Chef.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Jeong-woo. The dish was perfect. It wasn’t your mistake.”

“Well… the seasoning. What if we mix this?”

When Jeong-woo shook the bag of powder filled with MSG, Hyun-min let out a disappointed laugh.

“I’m a chef who never uses that.”

“I know it’s a strange thing to say, but it’s for our neighborhood elderly. Their taste buds aren’t sophisticated.”

“Still, some things just can’t be done.”

With a firm standard, Jeong-woo felt even more determined to help.

Jeong-woo glanced towards his mother, who had started cooking “Stir-Fried Squid,” and then turned to Hyun-min.

“If we lose this time, it’s over. But this dish is tailored to the elderly’s preferences.”

Hyun-min’s complexion darkened.

“There’s one dish that can guarantee a win. Would you be willing to try it?”

“Is there such a dish?”

With a sly smile, Jeong-woo covered his mouth with his hand and spoke in a low voice. Hyun-min’s eyes widened as he listened.

“Even so, that’s…?”

“Take a deep breath and think about it. 3-0. Would it be suitable for a TV broadcast? Isn’t it too short?”

“Well… alright. But are you sure about this?”

“Trust me. There’s no way it will fail.”

Third evaluation session.

As it could be the final one, all the attention of the people gathered around the dining table focused on the five elderly individuals.

When the dish of stir-fried squid and vegetables, perfectly cooked with green chili peppers, was set on the table, murmurs of “It’s over” could be heard from all around.

And then…

Hyun-min, unable to even lift his face, presented a dish.

“P-pork belly?”

Mr. Heo, from the rice shop, jumped up and reached out his hand.

“It smells just like a local butcher shop at the intersection! I want to be a judge too!”

The enticing pork fat oozed out, drawing a river character (川) amidst the meat, and its natural juiciness was a visual that called for a shot of soju.

As soon as the evaluation began, the elderly individuals eagerly used their chopsticks to devour the pork belly dish, leaving nothing behind. Even if it was after eating the stir-fried squid.

-Chef, is there any more of this?

-Ah, I only grilled that.

-You did well. Good cooking.

-Th-thank you.

All five flags had the character ‘Hyun’ on them.

Hyun-min, who had won the round, returned to the cooking station with his energy drained. Jeong-woo placed his hand on Hyun-min’s shoulder, wearing a knowing expression, and offered him comfort.

“The elderly in the neighborhood… they can be quite demanding, right?”

“Sigh…”

Jeong-woo let out a sigh and looked at Hyun-min, who seemed unable to even contemplate the next dish. Suddenly, a thought came to Jeong-woo, and he spoke up.

“Chef.”

“Yes?”

“What if we try to mimic the flavor of the dashi seasoning using only natural ingredients? Would you be willing to use it?”

“Are you suggesting extracting broth-like flavors from seafood? That’s a method even used in restaurants. However, it still has fundamental differences compared to MSG. Perhaps it would be better to focus on enhancing the fermentation flavors or improving the texture to suit the elderly’s taste buds, even if it takes more time…”

“No.”

Jeong-woo shook his head.

“If it tastes exactly the same as MSG, then you can fully experience that stimulating flavor.”

“Is that even possible?”

“Just wait a moment.”

Chemical symbols floated around in Jeong-woo’s mind, scattered across the cooking station and the broadcasting stage. He integrated them, recalling the formula he had adjusted during a previous weekly meeting to match KG Food’s new product.

Around the black hole of nucleotides, the galaxy of food additives gathered.

“I think it can work. I didn’t mention it earlier, but I actually work for a chemical company. Although it’s not dashi seasoning, I have also been involved in researching similar MSG alternatives.”

A look of surprise flashed across Hyun-min’s face.

“Weren’t you the manager of Yoon Yi-seol?”

“You could say I have a dual role. How about it?”

Hyun-min looked at Jeong-woo anew.

The young man who was anxious and lacking confidence in cooking had disappeared, replaced by a confident gaze within the strange atmosphere.

Hyun-min’s attention was drawn to Hong Ji-sook preparing knife-cut noodles at the opposite cooking station.

“I will make New England-style clam chowder soup. Using the seasoning created by Mr. Jung Woo as a reference.”

“Then it would be more like a nursing home-style soup rather than New England-style.”

Their gazes crossed paths.

“I’ll determine the seasoning ratios. I’ll have to adjust them based on instinct while observing.”

“I’ll leave it to you.”

The VJ who was filming suddenly exchanged a meaningful glance with the chief producer, seeing the two of them starting to work in a peculiar manner, splitting their tasks as if they needed to be filmed separately because their cooking processes were distinctly different.

If Hyun-min demonstrated his top-notch chef skills by skillfully handling vegetables and clams with tools, Jeong-woo meticulously mixed seasonings, inspecting each grain as if conducting research.

‘Cooking, chemistry, cooking, chemistry…’

As Jeong-woo pondered, he first established the molecular structures of the four components that would compose the flavorful essence of the soup.

The first was water. Water molecules, which account for over 80% of food, serve as the solvent that brings all the ingredients together.

Even the minutely mixed mineral components such as calcium and magnesium were discerned from MSG, and a few granules of those were added.

The second was lipids. When the taste is infused with oiliness, it adds a slippery sensation to the tip of the tongue.

As Jeong-woo searched the cooking station like a hyena in pursuit of carbon atoms that would contribute to neutral fats, his gaze settled on the heavy cream.

‘Well, what does appearance matter? Come join us too.’

The third was carbohydrates. This component, abundant in white foods like sugar, flour, and rice, was readily available and easy to obtain.

Emphasizing small molecules such as monosaccharides and disaccharides, he gathered granules by attracting them together.

The last component was proteins, responsible for the physical taste. Polymers that would aid in texture enhancement. The reason why chewy udon noodles tasted much better than fully cooked ones was also attributed to them.

“Jeong-woo, is everything coming along properly?”

“Don’t worry.”

As Hyun-min, who saw a mixture of things that seemed incompatible according to culinary common sense, simply closed his eyes tightly and averted his gaze.

Jeong-woo continued the combination, even humming a tune.

‘I mustn’t miss out on the savory taste that the elderly will enjoy.’

For the elderly, a pleasant taste would evoke a sense of familiarity rooted in their life experiences and memories. That’s why mothers’ cooking gained recognition, and this soup also had to emulate such a flavor.

‘Mom used to make knife-cut noodles, right? A spicy taste, seafood broth. I need to find those flavor molecules that can compete and win.’

His hands moved swiftly.

Nucleotides of the nucleic acid family, contained within shiitake mushrooms, merged with the umami of skipjack tuna to form a galaxy resembling the structure of a black hole nucleotide.

It took about 10 minutes to combine the natural additives.

“Phew.”

Jeong-woo withdrew his hands from the bowl and rubbed his eyes.

“It’s an excellent molecular cuisine.”

“What?”

“It’s done, homemade MSG.”

As he said the words, he realized they sounded peculiar.

“Well, anyway, here’s the special seasoning.”

Hyun-min accepted the dish Jeong-woo offered, swallowing a sigh. Even though he had seen countless dishes and cooked countless meals, it was a modest lump of deep brown that lacked visual appeal. It could even be mistaken for fermented soybean blocks.

As Hyun-min caught a whiff of the aroma, his nostrils twitched, startled by something that pricked his senses, causing him to jolt his head.

“The aroma will be strong. I considered that it will be diluted in water.”

“Do I put all of this in?”

“For now, please put in half.”

Onions, potatoes, and small clams poured into the bubbling pot. Hyun-min scooped half of the spilled water and homemade MSG with a ladle, pouring it into the pot.

The fourth dish was placed on the table.

Homemade flat noodles with a murky color and a clear brown clam soup.

Naturally, the first spoonful for the elderly was the familiar flat noodles.

Jeong-woo swallowed hard. Yoon Yi-seol also watched with interest.

“Is it going to end this time?”

Jeong-woo’s face turned unsure.

As one grandmother finished tasting the flat noodles, she dipped her spoon into the clam soup. With an “Hmm?” expression on her face, she took another spoonful and looked at Hyun-min standing next to her.

-What is this?

-It’s clam chowder soup.

-Is the clam cold? It’s warm, though?

-No. Chow. Der. It’s like mixed soup, so to speak.

-The taste is really authentic. Delicious.

Watching the grandmother continue to eat, the grandfather sitting next to her also scooped some soup. The rest of the elderly followed suit, tasting the soup and all making expressions of “Hmm?”

-The taste of this…

-It keeps drawing me. It’s fascinating.

Then, an elderly person who tasted the flat noodles again slightly furrowed their brow.

-Ouch, why is this so greasy?

The clam soup caused a sensation in no time.

Yoon Yi-seol looked at Jeong-woo with an expression of “What’s going on?” due to the inexplicable reactions of the elderly.

“What flavor is this?”

“It’s an enhanced umami flavor at the molecular level.”

“What?”

Yoon Yi-seol’s ears perked up at Jeong-woo’s answer that seemed like magic.

When the PD gave the signal, the flags went up.

‘Hyun’ 4, ‘Hong’ 1.

-I have it wrong. I also like eating this clam soup. Is there more?

‘Hyun’ 5.

Hyun-min raised his hand upon confirming the results.

“We lost.”

Yoon Yi-seol turned sharply to Jeong-woo.

“I saw earlier that the VJ was filming you alone, Jeong-woo. Did you do something? That’s why we didn’t get focused shots.”

“I did it together with Hyun. It’s not like I’m cooking alone.”

Jeong-woo crossed his arms and slightly grumbled, but Yoon Yi-seol chuckled and said, “Oops,” with a smile. Jeong-woo looked at her.

“What I just said, didn’t it sound a bit like a chef? It’s not like I’m cooking alone… Huh? You’re saying it isn’t like that?”

“I was a bit proud. I guess.”

When Yoon Yi-seol reluctantly praised him, Jung Woo’s shoulders straightened even more. Seeing Hong Ji-sook returning, Yoon Yi-seol spoke to Jung Woo.

“The two of us were quite helpful as assistants in cooking. It’s fascinating. Now it’s 2 vs. 2, so let’s fight till the end.”

“And don’t get hurt, Yi-seol. You were busy preparing the broth earlier.”

Yoon Yi-seol paused for a moment and asked cautiously.

“You saw that?”

“Well, I am the manager.”

“You’re reliable, really.”

Yoon Yi-seol, who had been discreetly looking into Jeong-woo’s eyes, smiled and returned to her team’s cooking station.

Hyun-min, who rushed over to the evaluation table, placed his hand on Jeong-woo’s shoulder.

“Jeong-woo, can you tell me how to combine those seasonings? No, I’ll buy them. I was truly shocked by the taste. It’s stimulating yet light. It feels like the taste of my hometown yet sophisticated. I want to make it our restaurant’s signature seasoning.”

“Well… let’s talk about that after it’s over. We need to prepare our final dish.”

Hyun-min nodded at Jeong-woo, who was smiling.

“Let’s do it.”

While the staff was preparing for the final showdown and tidying up the table, author Hwang rushed over and stood in front of Hyun-min.

“Hyun-shi, the filming is going really well right now. It’s thrilling. So, PD Choi wants to offer a prize for the final challenge for the elderly participants. They want to bring in a special spring edition.”

“What kind of prize?”

“A kimchi refrigerator.”

“Sounds good.”

“After voting on who will win, they will draw winners among those who guessed correctly. Is that okay?”

Hyun-min nodded, and Hwang went over to Hong Ji-sook to convey the same message before disappearing.

‘If it’s a kimchi refrigerator, the elderly in the neighborhood will love it. Since we’ve been winning continuously, there will be a lot at stake on our side, right? I wonder what mom will do this time?’

While observing the opposing team’s cooking station, Jeongwoo’s expression changed as he saw the ingredients his mother had put up. It was evident what dish they were preparing.

“Spicy stir-fried pork?”

Jeong-woo quickly approached Hong Ji-sook.

“Mom, that’s cheating. Using the restaurant’s menu.”

“Now that everyone’s already full, they can’t eat much, so I’ll make just a little.”

Upon hearing the name of the plate, Mr. Heo from the rice house and the other two gentlemen exclaimed loudly, “We want an extra plate too!”

“Look, the ajusshis’ reactions. Are you going to go this far?”

“I’m not going all out.”

In response to Hong Ji-sook’s nonchalant reply, Jeong-woo returned to Hyun-min with a worried expression. Even though it was tied 2:2, spicy stir-fried pork was unexpected.

Hyun-min asked Jeong-woo.

“Why are you like that? What’s so special about spicy stir-fried pork?”

“Because they don’t usually serve it even on days like this in the restaurant. The elderly in the neighborhood love it the most, more than grilled pork belly.”

The elderly people scattered around the living room suddenly gathered towards the front. Despite having already eaten a feast, their faces showed a longing for something. Hyun-min couldn’t help but be surprised.

“Is it really that delicious?”

“Even though all of my mother’s food are home-cooked meals, that one dish is worth acknowledging. We’ve been selling spicy stir-fried pork since I graduated from college and have been living on it for 15 years at our house.”

Upon hearing this answer, Hyun-min felt a deep sense of unease. Running the same restaurant for 15 years during a difficult time for the food industry like now must mean they have a killer menu.

“Ha…”

In the midst of a situation where the judging panel had extreme variables, even more than any cooking competition Hyun-min had participated in, there was the overwhelming advantage of being in the familiar home environment. How much mental strength was he pouring into a mere cooking battle with housewives for over two hours?

Frustrated, Hyun-min looked at Jeong-woo.

“Is there no way?”

“Well, the local taste is so set in their ways. They don’t even try to appreciate this great flavor. The green onion skewers and fish fillet kebabs I made before were delicious. They were new and different.”

Scratching his chin while pondering, Jeong-woo looked directly at Hyun-min.

“Chef.”

“Yes?”

“What’s the most delicious dish you can make…?”

“Yes?”

“If it’s not too much trouble, can I modify it to suit the tastes of the elderly?”

Putting his hands on the culinary skills that he had developed over 20 years as a kitchen manager with an illustrious career, he was willing to touch the dish created by the head chef. Looking at Jeong-woo, who proposed a suggestion that would astonish the apprentices in the restaurant, Hyun-min felt more anticipation than disbelief.

For some reason, he had a feeling that if he followed the hands of this young man, he would create a dish that they had never tasted before, just like the “elderly-style soup” from earlier.

Author Hwang explained the prize drawing for the final challenge towards the living room.

-I am Mrs. Hong!

-Spicy stir-fried pork is the best.

Hyun-min’s eyes blazed as he heard the conversation among the elderly. As a chef, his ambition surged.

Capture those taste buds and don’t let go.

“Let’s go. Let’s give it a try.”

The final dish. This time, the roles were reversed, and Jeong-woo became the head chef who set the final direction, while Hyun-min became the assistant chef.