A local Manchester woman has won the competition of a lifetime as part of a Korean Kimchi cooking challenge to create a specially selected recipe by famed Michelin-star Chef, Marco Pierre White.
The competition ran by Korea Agro Fisheries and K-foodfan saw her whisk up the opportunity to cook with the culinary sensation and well-known singer and star Rachel Stevens from S Club 7, all thanks to her sensational winning dish.
Juliet McArdle gathered with Marco and Rachel at The Rudloe Arms in Bath, a stunning hotel located on 14 acres of land on the crest of Brox Hill, to recreate her iconic winning dish – a dish that saw her beat hundreds of entries from other competitive cooks.
For Juliet, winning this competition and having the chance to recreate her winning recipe alongside such big names in the culinary and musical industries meant the world, as Juliet has been inspired by Korean cuisine for many years.
She said:
“I first tried kimchi around six or seven years ago, and always had it when I went for Korean meals. “Then, about four years ago, a Korean supermarket opened in Manchester selling loads of kimchi, and I bought it regularly, even before it was available in supermarkets. It’s become a staple ingredient for my fridge ever since.”
Juliet then went on to explain the inspiration behind her dish, aptly named Juliet’s Flavour Bomb, which was actually inspired by one particular ingredient in her cupboards.
“I had some black tahini that I wanted to use up and I just sort of took it from there”,
Juliet began.
“I do cook a fair bit, so I always have basic ingredients in, but it was the black tahini that really got me inspired. I thought it would look great in a photograph - the black contrasting with the bright orange of the kimchi.”
Not only was this a huge triumph for Juliet, but Marco himself was also impressed by Juliet’s culinary finesse.
He said: “Juliet’s dish is very simple and very delicious. Chicken and rice are without question, one of those magical combinations – then you bring in the black tahini, and then you bring in the kimchi… it’s a clear winner.”
The campaign, which was dedicated to promoting the many uses and benefits of kimchi, was nothing short of a success, with the cooking sessions broadcast to thousands in the UK live on Instagram across Marco’s, Rachel’s and Kooking Kimchi’s accounts.
To find out more about the Kooking Korean Kimchi Challenge and its campaign, head on over to their Instagram page @kookingkimchi_