Youn’s Kitchen, Season 2 Episode 5 (Part 1)

Youn’s Kitchen’s best day of sales comes with a price: increase in complexity as order and customer counts go up, and increase in exhaustion as the day goes on.

Youn’s Kitchen has its outdoor tables fully occupied by two groups of customers. The two groups of customers occupy two tables in the Hall. They are a couple from Germany and a couple who are owners of a hotel nearby.

Youn’s Kitchen’s Fourth Day Continues

Their second customer, the man from Latvia, asks whether he can have the kimchijeon without tuna — he cannot eat tuna. The man sees that Seo-Joon looks confused so he abandons the kimchijeon. “It’s okay,” he says. However, Seo-Joon writes down the order for two kimchijeon.

Seo-Joon consults Seo-Jin about the possibility of no-tuna kimchijeon. Seo-Jin confirms it with the second customer that they cannot do kimchijeon without tuna and thus interprets it as an order cancellation for kimchijeon. Seo-Jin goes to the kitchen and tells Yu-Mi and Boss Youn not to make kimchijeon. “The new kimchijeon order that has just come in is cancelled,” he says, “they are vegetarian.”

Boss Youn is confused as the kitchen has not received any new order for kimchijeon. Seo-Joon then passes on new order sheet, which is the Latvian couple’s, to Seo-Jin. Seo-Jin writes off the request for kimchijeon.

 

The German lady reads the menu. When she read the description of kimchijeon — with tuna — the husband says he doesn’t like tuna. “Let’s ask them to remove it,” the lady says. Or, they can order two kimchijeon: one with tuna and one without tuna. “As long as it’s vegetarian,” the man says. The lady finds it interesting that Asians open a restaurant here. “It’s good,” the man says. The lady agrees.

Seo-Jin takes the German couple’s order. Because the kimchijeon cannot be without tuna, the lady orders just one kimchijeon for her and, after Seo-Jin’s recommendation, one vegetarian bibimbab for her husband.

When Yu-Mi goes out to get ice cream, Seo-Joon gives her the German couple’s order. She informs Boss Youn that they should begin with a serving of kimchijeon.

 

 

Seo-Jin takes the order of the fourth customers, the hotel owners. They order one kimchijeon, one chicken gangjeong, and one galbi. Outside, the first customers order two dishes of kimchijeon.

Seo-Jin brings the order to the kitchen while Boss Youn is cooking the German lady’s kimchijeon. Yu-Mi then tells Boss Youn to make vegetable bibimbab and takes over the the plating of kimchijeon. Seo-Joon comes to the kitchen with the first customers’ kimchijeon. “Two more kimchijeon, Boss,” he says. Yu-Mi interrupts, telling Boss Youn to continue what she is doing, which is preparing bibimbab. She studies the orders to sort things out.

At the moment, the kitchen must fulfil orders for four kimchijeon, three vegetarian bibimbab, one chicken gangjeong, and one galbi. The recently finished kimchijeon means there are still three more to be done.

Yu-Mi gives the German couple’s order of kimchijeon and vegetarian bibimbab, which are meant for the German couple, to Seo-Joon. But then, he takes them to the Latvian couple. To his knowledge, the Latvians order the same food, not knowing that Seo-Jin has written their order for kimchijeon off.

After learning that the Latvians’ kimchijeon has been cancelled, Seo-Joon sends back the kimchijeon to the kitchen. Yu-Mi insists this is for another order, “which is one bibimbab and one kimchijeon.” Seo-Joon asks Seo-Jin if the kimchijeon is cancelled, thinking it as the Latvians’. Seo-Jin catches on to his line of thoughts and confirms that the Latvians’ kimchijeon order is cancelled. No one considers the Germans’ order.

Seo-Jin, Yu-Mi, and Seo-Joon discuss what to do with the rejected kimchijeon. Seo-Joon cannot bring it to the Lithuanians for he has just been outside with the dish. Seo-Jin tells him to bring it to the hotel owners. But Seo-Joon leaves the kimchijeon on the server table..

As Seo-Joon gets out, he greets a man who enters the Hall. The man is from Belgium and he is dining alone. He is Youn’s Kitchen’s fifth customer of the day. Seo-Jin brings him the menu. After he serves red wine to the hotel owners, he takes the Belgian’s order for bulgogi bibimbab and red wine.

 

 

In the kitchen, Boss Youn and Yu-Mi proceed to the fourth customer’s order. Boss Youn cooks kimchijeon and Yu-Mi prepares the chicken gangjeong. They then move on to making vegetarian bibimbab.

Yu-Mi brings the new kimchijeon to the server table next to the rejected kimchijeon. “One of them is for the hotel owner couple,” she says. Seo-Joon, however, wants to bring both to the Lithuanians outside. “Bring it to the hotel owners first, the ones with galbi order,” Yu-Mi insists. Seo-Joon consults Seo-Jin to find out where they are. He brings one kimchijeon to the hotel owners.

The hotel owner couple find the kimchijeon interesting. “Not bad,” the lady says. She then feels the spiciness kicking in. They like it. Once Seo-Joon sees that they have finished the dish, he clears their table.

Meanwhile, the Germans haven’t got any food yet. The man feels hungry since he hadn’t got breakfast. The lady too is hungry for she had only eaten very little breakfast. Their water order is served though and their table set. Yet, no food comes their way. Somehow, the Hall team doesn’t bother to check about their order.

While the kitchen is making one vegetarian bibimbab for the German couple, Seo-Joon brings the rejected kimchijeon to the Lithuanians. When he returns to the server table, he finds one bibimbab. “This is for the table with the order for one kimchijeon,” Yu-Mi says. “They order two,” Seo-Joon says, still thinking about the Latvians.

Confusion strikes again. Seo-Joon comes around to check the order. When Seo-Jin comes near, he adds to their confusion by affirming the Latvian couple’s order for two bibimbab and forgetting about the German couple’s order.

The kitchen is in chaos. What to do first? Why did you say only one bibimbab?

Yu-Mi and Boss Youn make one more vegetarian bibimbab for the Latvian couple. Once it is ready, Seo-Jin brings it along with the previous bibimbab to the Latvian couple. He passes the Germans who are now wondering what happens with their order.

In the kitchen, Boss Youn cooks the chicken for the hotel owners. Seo-Jin brings it to the hotel owner couple. The lady asks if it’s spicy although the husband says the spicy kimchijeon is great.

The hotel owner couple eat the chicken gangjeong until there is one cut left. The man puts it on his wife’s plate but the lady puts it to his plate. He did it because “I just thought someone might be watching…,” he jokes. “About 16 million people will be watching,” the lady says, quoting the information about the TV programme they will be in.

 

The German couple are still waiting. The lady begins yawning. “I hope our food is coming soon,” she says. She then turns around towards the kitchen window where Seo-Jin is standing. She shrugs and asks silently about their food. “It’ll be ready soon,” Seo-Jin says. Now, he is aware of the ‘lost’ order of the German couple. The lady asks for more water, which he serves as soon as possible.

Seo-Jin checks the order and asks Yu-Mi about it immediately. “The one kimchijeon and one bibimbab,” he says. Yu-Mi gets it and signals that they will prepare them as soon as possible. Seo-Jin gets inside the kitchen informing about the complaint but Yu-Mi ushers him out of the kitchen, trying to keep Boss Youn undisturbed. The Boss is busy. “They keep coming and telling us to do this and that!” Yu-Mi complains to the crews. Seo-Jin returns to point silently at an order pinned on the order board. “I know,” Yu-Mi says. She shushes him and ushers him out of the kitchen once more.

While Yu-Mi and Boss Youn are preparing vegetarian bibimbab, Seo-Jin watches from the kitchen window anxiously. Seo-Joon gets into the kitchen and learns about their oversight. When the bibimbab is ready, Seo-Jin brings it to the German couple’s table.

The German lady pours the soy sauce into the dish. The man mixes the bibimbab then asks his wife if she wants some. “Let me have the tofu,” she says. She takes two spoonfuls of the bibimbab.

 

Outside, the Lithuanian ladies talk about the kimchijeon, how they can eat ten of it. They are still waiting for one kimchijeon left. “Do they forget about our kimchijeon?” they wonder.

In the Hall, Seo-Jin is getting anxious for they now have orders pushed back due to the oversight. When Seo-Joon picks up the empty glasses from their table, the Lithuanians ask for the bill. Seo-Joon tells Seo-Jin about it. “They didn’t ask for the kimchijeon,” he says. Seo-Jin tells him that they shouldn’t pay for their additional kimchijeon order.

Seo-Joon brings the bill to the Lithuanians. “The kimchijeon is on the house,” he says. The Lithuanians leave. After a while, the Latvians leave too.

 

In the kitchen, Yu-Mi says the German couple’s kimchijeon should be on the house for they serve it too late. Boss Youn agrees. Seo-Jin brings the next kimchijeon to the German couple and warns them it is a bit spicy. The lady asks for soy sauce.

Meanwhile, the kitchen has already cooked the one kimchijeon for the Lithuanians. “They’ve left. They asked for the bill,” Seo-Jin says. And, since they waited too long, they didn’t get charged for the additional request. Seo-Jin then brings the kimchijeon to the German couple’s tables. “It’s on the house,” he says, “we’re sorry to have kept you waiting.”

The German lady offers her husband the kimchijeon. “I cannot taste the tuna,” she says. He takes a bite and agrees that the tuna’s taste is weak. Then they swap dishes. The husband eats the kimchijeon while the lady eats the remaining bibimbab.

 

 

A lady enters the Hall and immediately gets into a conversation with the hotel owners — “tell your husband to come here,” the hotel owner lady says — while being on the phone. She takes the table nearest to the kitchen. Seo-Jin gives the menu. She is the sixth customer of the day.

Boss Youn and Yu-Mi prepare Galbi, which goes to the hotel owner couple. They find the dish delicious. The lady observes the plating, noting the egg garnish. Seo-Jin interrupts to pour more wine.

The hotel owner lady then imagines if the situation is reversed. For example, one of them opens a Garachico specialty restaurant in Korea. “It won’t be judged as good or bad. Neither taste nor presentation of the food makes people go to the restaurants…,” she says. She is about to say something on cooking when she gets a look from her husband. “Sorry. I went on a lecture mode again,” she says.

A man enters the Hall whom the hotel owner lady greets. He is the husband of the sixth customer. He joins his wife on the table nearest to the kitchen.

 

Everyone in the Hall engages in conversation either with their partner or friend, except for the fifth customer, the Belgian man who sits alone waiting for his one and only food order: bibimbab. Yu-Mi is concerned about him for he hasn’t got anything yet. He only orders main dish, no entrée. “We should give him something,” she says, “he has been waiting for too long.” She asks the crew to see what the man is doing.

Boss Youn also expresses her worries about the lone Belgian man. “He’s old enough to be my friend,” she says. She and Yu-Mi prepare the bulgogi bibimbab, giving more meat and vegetables than usual. Seo-Jin brings the bibimbab to their fifth customer. “Sorry for keeping you waiting,” he says.

The Belgian man enjoys eating the bibimbab immensely.

 

The German lady asks for the bill. She notices that their water order isn’t included. “It’s on the house,” Seo-Jin says. The lady settles the bill. After giving tip to Seo-Joon, the couple leave.

Meanwhile, the hotel owners and their friends are talking about the food, which to order. “Order one of each and share? Okay.”

Seo-Jin takes the local couple’s order for one kimchijeon, one Japchae, one chicken gangjeong, and two beers. He passes on the order to the kitchen. Boss Youn will do the Japchae and Yu-Mi the kimchijeon. Boss Youn then asks Yu-Mi to do the finishing touches with ‘whatsitsname’. “Yes,” Yu-Mi understands what she means, “the garnish.” — “I’ve forgotten the word ‘garnish’!” Bos Youn says.

Seo-Jin sets the local couple’s table. The man comments that they must have brought their own cutlery and plates from Korea. “It looks traditional,” the man says. Seo-Jin then picks up the kimchijeon and Japchae, surprised that the food is ready already — “that’s quick,” he comments. He brings the dish to their sixth customers. The couple share kimchijeon and Japchae. They like the food.

 

The neighbour lady, who came to dine on Youn’s Kitchen’s second day, stops by the entrance and greets Seo-Jin. As promised, Seo-Jin shows her the new additions to the menu. She asks how long Youn’s Kitchen will be open. “Until Sunday,” Seo-Jin says.

 

Orders are all done so the kitchen relaxes a bit. Yu-Mi tidies the order board. Boss Youn asks Yu-Mi if the customers left any food. “They ate all,” Yu-Mi says. Like yesterday, They don’t get leftover waste.

Outside, a couple with a baby stroller stop at the entrance to read the menu. Then another couple, a German man and a Chinese lady, enter the Hall. They are Youn’s Kitchen’s seventh customers in an hour after opening. The lady orders two bibimbab, one with soy sauce and one with gochujang the chili paste. Seo-Jin brings the order to the kitchen.

“This is maddening…,” Boss Youn is heard saying.

The German man comments that the lady must have got a lot of experience in Korean food. She says she always eats bibimbab whenever she goes to Korean restaurants. They see Japchae being served on a nearby table. “That fried glass noodles look nice,” the Chinese lady says.

Yu-Mi tells Boss Youn they have to make two bibimbab for the German and Chinese couple. After the two bibimbab are ready, Seo-Joon then brings them to the seventh customers’ table. The Chinese lady pours gochujang on top of the bibimbab and then mixes all. “Can I use just soy sauce?” The German asks. The lady tells him to pour a little bit and try the dish. They try a bit and find the bibimbab delicious.

The lady then asks if he wants gochujang. “This is the real deal,” she says. She offers the man a spoonful of her bibimbab. “It’s okay. It’ll be too spicy for me,” the man says. The lady encourages him to try for she only puts a little gochujang. He tries it and apparently likes it. The man gets a little of gochujang for his bibimbab. “That is the real taste of Korean,” the lady says. The couple then enjoys their meal in silence.

 

The hotel owner couple leave Youn’s Kitchen. In the kitchen, Boss Youn and Yu-Mi are visibly exhausted. Boss Youn asks how many tables they have served. “A lot,” Yu-Mi says. Boss Youn then asks the crews why they recruited her for this show. “Be honest with me,” she says. Is it because they like her? “Don’t like me,” she says. Then she recalls that ‘don’t like me’ is a line she had said a lot with coyness fifty years ago.

Seo-Joon comes to the kitchen. “Can’t they come in slowly?” Boss Youn tells Seo-Joon. She sees him getting battered chickens cuts ready. “He works a lot,” Boss Youn says. She counts the three portions of chicken Seo-Joon had already prepared, which have gone in no time. They sell a lot of chicken gangjeong today, compared to just one portion yesterday.

Seo-Jin joins them in the kitchen. “I feel like I almost die,” Seo-Jin says. Boss Youn asks if the customers eat the Galbi since she thinks it was a little thicker. “They ate all,” Yu-Mi says while washing dishes.

Their day is not yet over…

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To be continued to the second part of episode 5 recap.

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