Youn’s Kitchen, Season 2 Episode 4 (Part 1)

As Youn’s Kitchen gains more customers, confidence grows, including the confidence to introduce another dish to the menu, Korean style barbecue ribs, ie. the revered Galbi.

Youn’s Kitchen sees its best day today. Customers are coming in and enjoying food and the new menu: Japchae and chicken gangjeong. They are now serving their fourth and the fifth customers.

Youn’s Kitchen’s Third Day Continues…

Seo-Jin brings the bulgogi bibimbab to their fifth customers, the flower shop couple. He tells them, and show them, to mix it. Only the husband eats it though. He asks his wife if she wants any but she declines. Asked about what is in it, the husband says, “various vegetables.” She asks about the chopped meat and wants to taste a bit. The husband gives her a scoop. She still declines to have any when he asks again. “I’d had meal,” she says. She takes pictures of her husband eating. “It’s really delicious,” he says.

Seo-Joon approaches the couple to ask if everything is all right. “It’s delicious,” the man says. Seo-Jin passes by, makes eye contact, and smiles. “I like him,” the lady says about Seo-Jin. “Then adopt him,” the husband says.

Boss Youn, who returns from greeting their fourth customers outside, asks the flower shop couple about the food. “It’s great,” the man says. Boss Youn thanks them for coming. She is back in the kitchen and tells the crew about the fourth customer being a film director and producer in Hollywood and Norway.

Outside, the filmmaker is devouring chicken gangjeong with the spicy sauce. When Seo-Joon comes to clean their table, the lady tells Seo-Joon to keep Youn’s Kitchen open, not just for the TV programme. The sentiment is also endorsed by the former director. “For one or two years,” he says.

Some time later, the filmmaker says “la cuenta!” to Seo-Jin. Seo-Jin goes to Seo-Joon to ask what it means. The filmmaker is asking for the bill. After consulting Seo-Joon about their order, Seo-Jin prepares their bill. Seo-Joon brings it to the fourth customers. The filmmaker hands him a note and gestures that Seo-Joon keeps the change. The couple leave after giving them a generous tip.

Boss Youn wants to know how much food they’ve sold. So far, they’ve sold five bibimbab, three chicken gangjeong, and two Japchae.

 

 

A family from Poland, with a boy and a girl, approach Youn’s Kitchen. The boy notices the cameras filming the area and poses in front of them. His sister sends a heart with her hands. The parents read the menu and notice the only dessert available, Hotteok. “Should we go elsewhere?” Mum says. Dad thinks Youn’s Kitchen’s food sounds okay. He asks the children about having a Nalesniki-esque dish here.

The family decide to go in. Youn’s Kitchen’s sixth customers take the table by the window. Mum likes the Hall interior. Seo-Joon gives them the menu. “Just two is enough,” Mum says, “the kids don’t read yet.”

In the kitchen, the casts are joyous as they get more customers. Yu-Mi predicts that their sixth customers will order chicken. Boss Youn remarks that if they can predict such things, what and how much customers will eat, they will be real experts in this business. Yu-Mi makes more predictions. “I’ll pass on the business ownership to Yu-Mi if she gets it right,” Boss Youn says. She and Seo-Jin shall step down and make way for the younger people.

While her parents and brother are examining the menu, the Polish girl is intrigued by the decorations items on the table. She then notices the camera on the corner moving. She spots another one across the street. While she is playing with the camera, making faces and poses, Seo-Joon takes the Polish family’s order for four Hotteok and two double shot of espresso.

The mother asks if they are filming reality show. “Yes. A Korean TV show” Seo-Joon says. She asks again if Seo-Joon is a famous TV star, to which Seo-Joon awkwardly answers “no, I am not.” He looks embarrassed.

At the next table, Seo-Jin takes the order of the flower shop couple for a Hotteok, a café cortado (espresso and milk), and an espresso.

Both the beverage division and food division are going to be busy, although the kitchen doesn’t know it yet. Boss Youn and Yu-Mi are busy arranging bibimbab ingredients. “We’re in trouble,” Seo-Joon says as he brings the order for a total of five hotteok. Boss Youn is stunned for a moment, Yu-Mi laughs. Boss Youn tells Yu-Mi and Seo-Joon to prepare the dough while she is preparing the frying pan. “It’s one and four,” Seo-Joon says. They make the first one for the flower shop owner.

After Seo-Jin brings the drinks, Seo-Joon serves the Hotteok. The lady asks Seo-Joon to take their picture. The husband then cuts the Hotteok, and gives one part for the lady. But the lady wants the other part, “I haven’t had anything.” They try the Hotteok. “It’s like apple jam,” the man says. The lady comments on the chocolate syrup and vanilla ice cream. “It’s good,” the man says.

 

Waiting for their desserts, the girl of the Polish family continues playing hide and seek with the camera attached on the corner near their table. The camera follows her movement as she hides behind Mum. Her brother waves hello and notices that the camera is focusing on him. “It’s because you’ve good beautiful eyes,” Dad says. The boy smiles at the camera.

Seo-Jin brings the double shot espresso to their table. The girl is now showing impatience. “I want Nalesniki,” she says.

In the kitchen, Yu-Mi is shaping the Hotteok doughs. They will cook four at once. Boss Youn cooks the four prepared doughs, pressing them into flat circles. Yu-Mi prepares the plates and, one by one, the Hotteok is put on it. Yu-Mi scoops the ice cream and puts it on top of one Hotteok. Seo-Joon takes over the ice cream scooping and Yu-Mi puts chocolate sauce and sprinkles nuts on the Hotteok.

Seo-Jin brings the first two Hotteok to the Polish family, which go to the boy and the girl. Another two are for Mum and Dad. They enjoy the dessert. It’s delicious that Mum thinks it must be high-calorie. They will want to come back to Youn’s Kitchen later. “We can come back,” the girl approves. Then she remarks that the dish is so good they should make it. Mum promises to learn making the dessert for her.

The Hall team is visibly happy that Youn’s Kitchen is doing fine today. In the kitchen, Yu-Mi expresses surprise that they got four Hotteok orders at once. Boss Youn remarks they wouldn’t have been able to handle it on their first day. “We would’ve been too confused,” she says. Yu-Mi agrees. Today, they manage to do it because they’ve got experience.

The flower shop owners are leaving. Seo-Jin thanks them for coming. The Polish family are still enjoying their Hotteok. “This is the best restaurant ever,” the boy says while eating his Hotteok. His sister points out that he drools a lot. The boy uses tissue to wipe the excesses from his mouth. Dad points that he still has some on his chin, which the boy wipes clean.

Boss Youn watches the family from the kitchen. She thinks the boy is enjoying the dish a lot. The girl must have had help cutting the Hotteok into smaller cuts.

The Polish family have finished eating. When Seo-Jin is about to bring the change for the money they pay, they stop him. “Keep the change,” they say. Seo-Jin thanks them. The family leave Youn’s Kitchen.

“6 Euros!” Seo-Joon notices the generous amount they’ve left for tip. “They must have liked it here.”

 

In the kitchen, Boss Youn thinks that they can relax now. Seo-Jin concentrates on taking care of the balance book. “We’ve sold more than previous two days combined,” he says to Seo-Joon. Seo-Joon thinks they make about €200 today. Boss Youn, in the kitchen, hopes that they get one more customer.

But no more customer is coming. It’s already past lunch time. Boss Youn notices there is still a lot of kimchijeon dough left. She goes outside with Seo-Jin and asks about their sales. “Did we make a lot today?” Seo-Jin tells her that they made around €80 on the first day, and €120 yesterday. So far, they may have made about €155 today. Seo-Jin thinks they can close now.

Seo-Joon brings two portions of kimchijeon outside, where Boss Youn and Seo-Jin sit. Yu-Mi then joins them. They are enjoying a break with the leftover kimchijeon while planning for preparation and ‘marinating galbi’. “We need to marinate galbi,” Seo-Jin says.

 

An Exciting Dinner

Boss Youn goes out walking with Na PD. When they pass the butcher’s, Boss Youn comments that the galbi can do with a little thinner cuts. They stop at the florist shop and enter it. Boss Youn sees the flowers and plants. She wishes the florist a merry christmas. They continue walking.

At Youn’s Kitchen, Seo-Jin opens a wine bottle and enjoys a glass of it outside. Seo-Joon joins him, complaining a bit about his tired legs. Yu-Mi joins them and asks why they aren’t going home. “We’re going out for dinner,” Seo-Jin says. While waiting for Boss Youn and Na PD to find the restaurant, Yu-Mi offers beer to Seo-Joon.

As the sun is setting, the three walk to the restaurant for dinner and talk about many things. Seo-Joon remarks that he spoke a lot of Spanish today. Yu-Mi thinks they should make more rice tomorrow. Seo-Jin thinks they should make more egg garnish tomorrow. They arrive at the restaurant that Boss Youn has picked for dinner.

Seo-Jin tells everyone to choose whatever menu they like. “We’d made €160 excluding tips today,” he says. Yu-Mi immediately picks the dishes she wants. They have a toast. Seo-Jin thinks they’ll have a more difficult day tomorrow because of the new menu, the galbi.

A man, one of the restaurant staffs, approaches their table. He wants to make reservation at Youn’s Kitchen for next friday at one o’clock for at least eight people.

The casts and the crews look excited. Seo-Jin thinks this is not about making profit. “This is about our pride,” he says, “we should do it right.” Plating will be important. “Yu-Mi is good at that,” Boss Youn says. They also need to work out the table settings. Seo-Joon thinks they are going to try everything in the menu.

Seo-Jin goes inside the restaurant to take a look at their kitchen. Theirs is an industrial kitchen, with built-in fryer and cooker, ensuring an efficient way for cooking bulks of food. The kitchen layout also makes preparing ingredients and food easier and faster.

The casts are excited about next friday. Yu-Mi will cut ingredients finely. They shall prepare and set the tables beforehand. Next friday, Youn’s Kitchen will serve another restaurant’s employees lunch and get-together. They will serve bone soup as service.

The casts also discuss uniform. They will wear white top and black bottom. “I should wash my shirt,” Boss Youn says. “I’ll be wearing tight-fitting shirt,” Seo-Joon says. Yu-Mi asks if he would wear the velvety jacket but Seo-Joon says it’ll be too hot to wear. They continue on through dinner.

 

The night is full of life in Garachico. People go out to dinner. Small children go out to play, some bring along their can-trails. Some teenagers are playing football at the town’s stadion. Some practice music in an ensemble.

Until it is time to go home.

 

 

The casts walk home from dinner while chatting. Boss Youn notices there are a lot of vegetarians in Garachico. “They don’t even eat eggs,” Seo-Joon adds. Boss Youn thinks they should prepare rice without using anchovies to also cater to the vegetarians. “It can do without anchovies,” she says.

They finally get home. Yu-Mi immediately goes to the laundry room to wash tablecloths and aprons. In the kitchen, Boss Youn and Seo-Jin talks about Yu-Mi having Seo-Joon as a friend in this season. “It’s great seeing them together,” Seo-Jin says. Boss Youn thinks they get along well.

Seo-Jin thinks Seo-Joon is wise beyond his age. “He is a great guy,” he says. Boss Youn agrees that Seo-Joon is a nice and bright young man. Seo-Jin finds Seo-Joon easy to engage in serious conversations and working hard. “He’s also quite knowledgeable,” Boss Youn says.

Seo-Joon and Yu-Mi get along well doing the morning preparations for Youn’s Kitchen, from shopping, to setting tables. Seo-Joon also gets along with Boss Youn and helps her a lot.

They’ve still got five days left. Boss Youn is curious how their galbi menu will fare. Seo-Jin is confident it will do well.

A Morning of A Hearty Breakfast

Another day in Garachico has arrived. People are busy doing their morning activities.

Boss Youn is having simple breakfast, a cup of coffee and apple, in the kitchen. Yu-Mi wakes up and greets her. Yu-Mi goes out to take care of the cleaned laundry items.

Seo-Joon wakes up and picks up the cleaned laundry from hanger. He goes to the kitchen and finds oxtail soup in a large pot on the hob.

The oxtail soup has been Seo-Jin’s soul food since his student days. In season one of ‘Three Meals A Day’ in Jeongseon in 2014, Seo-Jin served the dish to the flower Grandpas and received high-praise. “It’s better than the one from famous restaurant,” Shin Goo had said.

Couple of days ago, the casts also bought oxtail from the butcher’s. Seo-Jin made the others turn the kitchen upside down in search of the largest pot to cook oxtail soup. At their late night extracurricular activity, he made such a fuss about the oxtail. When Seo-Joon asked how they should serve the oxtail soup, Seo-Jin set the record straight that it was not for sale. “We will eat it,” Seo-Jin said. It was a food to invigorate, “to raise your spirit,“ Yu-Mi explained.

Boss Youn helped in cooking the oxtail soup. She cleaned the oxtail and put it with water in the pot. The pot was put on the hob. Seo-Jin checked the pot a couple of times and added water when necessary — at one point he checked and discovered that the stove wasn’t on. After 48 hours, the soup is boiling nicely.

Boss Youn tells the casts to try the soup for breakfast, pouring it into soup bowls, and to add black pepper on it. Seo-Joon and Yu-Mi eat their breakfast with enthusiasm.

Seo-Jin comes to the kitchen and greets the young ones. He looks pleased that they are enjoying his oxtail soup. “This is really delicious,” Yu-Mi says. He checks the oxtail soup on the hob. Yu-Mi laughs that he goes straight to it.

Today’s breakfast proves that Youn’s Kitchen’s employee welfare is a top priority.

It’s time to go to work.

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To be continued to the second part of episode 4 recap.

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