Executive Summary: Chef Minsu Kwon, a food innovator at Griffith Foods, draws on Korean culinary heritage and food science background to reimagine comfort food through the concept Samgyetang and Dak Bulgogi Jeon. Inspired by childhood memories of eating Samgyetang with Chef Minsu’s grandmother, the dish blends traditional Korean ingredients like ginseng and mung beans with familiar North American chicken soup flavors, creating an approachable yet authentic fusion. Using a Griffith Foods chicken soup base to simplify process and build depth, Chef Kwon demonstrates how nostalgia-driven flavors can be shared, scalable, and culturally adaptable—showing that comfort food rooted in memory can meet modern consumer demand for familiarity, functionality, and global relevance.
What Is Samgyetang and Dak Bulgogi Jeon?
Samgyetang is a traditional Korean chicken soup made with young chicken, ginseng, jujube, garlic, ginger, and glutinous rice. It is traditionally eaten during hot summer months to restore energy—a practice rooted in the Korean philosophy of “fighting heat with heat.”
For Kwon, Samgyetang is more than food—it represents family, place, and shared memory.
Chef Kwon’s concept pairs this nostalgic dish with Dak Bulgogi Jeon, creating a warm, hearty chicken-based experience inspired by childhood memories of eating riverside meals with hergrandmother.
“Samgyetang is a food that reminds me of my grandmother and brings back memories of playing by the water with my family.”
Who Is Chef Minsu Kwon?
Chef Minsu Kwon is a food innovator at Griffith Foods whose work blends Korean culinary heritage, North American comfort flavors, and product development expertise. The featured concept, Samgyetang and Dak Bulgogi Jeon, demonstrates how nostalgia-driven food can be translated into scalable, globally relevant flavor systems.
This dish reimagines traditional Korean chicken soup through a modern lens—bridging cultures, simplifying processes, and meeting evolving consumer demand for familiar flavors with a meaningful twist.
Chef Minsu Kwon began a culinary journey in Korea, studying Food Industry Management before working in professional kitchens across different countries. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chef reassessed the career path and realized a passion that lay not only in cooking—but in food product development.
She returned to school to study food science and engineering, joining a research center where she worked on:
- Sugar-free food products
- Pet food formulations
- Non-alcoholic beverages
These experiences shaped her approach to food as both emotional and functional, ultimately leading him to Griffith Foods, where culinary creativity and R&D intersect.
“I felt a sense of accomplishment when I developed products directly working with clients and saw the products come to life before my eyes.”
Why Nostalgia-Driven Food Innovation Matters
According to Chef Kwon, modern consumers are increasingly drawn to foods that:
- Feel emotionally familiar
- Reinterpret traditional flavors
- Offer comfort without sacrificing novelty
Rather than chasing extreme innovation, this dish reflects a broader food trend: updating nostalgic comfort foods for contemporary tastes and formats.
“Nostalgia is not only a personal memory, but it could be a shareable experience that can be interpreted in many ways.”
How This Dish Bridges Korean and North American Food Cultures
This concept intentionally blends Korean ingredients with North American flavor cues to make global cuisine more approachable.
Key cultural bridge elements include:
- Korean ginseng and mung beans for depth and tradition
- Mirepoix-inspired flavors (celery, carrot) common in North American chicken soup
- Familiar chicken soup seasoning as a flavor anchor
Chef Kwon describes the result as a fusion of Korean roots and the culture she currently lives in, designed to feel both authentic and accessible.
“By adding celery and thyme, I wanted to create a flavor that feels familiar to North American palates while staying true to Korean tradition.”
Ingredients and Technique: What Makes the Dish Work
- Chicken: High-protein, widely accepted across cultures
- Ginseng: Traditional Korean health ingredient adding complexity
- Mung beans: Nutrient-dense, visually distinctive, and sustainable
Technique Highlight: Half of the mung beans are ground into the broth to add body, while the remaining beans are kept whole to create texture, color contrast, and visual interest.
Chef Kwon emphasizes patience: the soup develops its full flavor through a slow simmer, not complexity of steps.
Griffith Foods Product Integration
Featured product: Griffith Foods Chicken Soup Base / Seasoning
This product:
- Delivers mirepoix flavor and umami from yeast
- Dissolves seamlessly into the soup
- Simplifies preparation while maintaining depth
Though not visible in the finished dish, it plays a critical role in creating a familiar flavor foundation, allowing Korean flavors to resonate with Western consumers.
Chef Kwon also notes its versatility, envisioning similar flavor profiles applied to:
- Marinated chicken
- Flavored snack applications
- Ready-to-eat meals
The result is a comfort-forward dish with functional appeal, aligning with healthcare and wellness-oriented foodservice needs.
Sustainability and Responsible Sourcing
Chef Kwon envisions dishes like this supporting a more responsible food system through nutrient-dense, minimally processed ingredients that can be sourced locally.
Mung beans were selected in part for their environmental benefits:
- Low water requirements
- Soil-enriching properties
- Efficient source of plant-based protein
Turning Memory into Market-Ready Innovation, Key Insight for Food Developers
Chicken soup exists in nearly every culture—from North American chicken noodle soup to Thai Tom Kha Gai and Vietnamese chicken pho. Chef Minsu Kwon’s concept taps into this shared global comfort, proving that nostalgia can be both emotionally resonant and commercially scalable.
Market Applications and Use Cases
Foodservice
- Globally inspired comfort foods
- Healthcare and institutional dining
- Menus seeking familiarity with differentiation
Retail
- Frozen meals
- Ready-to-eat formats
- Globally inspired convenience foods
Samgyetang and Dak Bulgogi Jeon illustrates how culinary heritage can inform modern food development—connecting cultures, simplifying processes, and creating products that feel personal yet universal.
Nostalgia isn’t just remembered. It’s designed.
“Around the world, every culture has its own version of chicken soup—from North American chicken noodle soup to Thai Tom Kha Gai and Vietnamese chicken pho.
—ChEF MINSU KWON
Through Samgyetang and Dak Bulgogi Jeon, I wanted to show how nutritious, sustainable ingredients can connect people across cultures.
Just as this dish brought back my childhood memories, I hope it becomes an opportunity for others to revisit and share their own.”
Let’s Create Better Together
We’re here to help inspire creations that keep your product portfolio on trend. Contact your Griffith Foods representative or reach out to our sales team to learn more about our ongoing research and innovative offerings.
