Food Expo Turns into a Board Game... Embark on a Global Culinary Adventure in Busan

Busan International Food Expo to be Held at BEXCO from October 9 to 11


A Gathering of Global Food Cultures Across 230 Booths


Over 600 Culinary Professionals Compete in International Cooking Challenge

A festival where visitors can explore, taste, and experience food cultures from around the world will be held in Busan. This year, the entire exhibition hall will be transformed into a giant board game, inviting attendees to embark on a global culinary adventure as if they are the protagonists of a game.

On October 7, Busan Metropolitan City announced that the 23rd Busan International Food Expo (BIFE 2026) and the 9th Busan Marina Chef Challenge (BMCC 2026) will be held together for three days, from October 9 to 11, at BEXCO Exhibition Hall 1.

The theme of this year's Busan International Food Expo is "A World Tour of Tastes, Burumatbul." The venue will be laid out like a board game, offering exhibitions, cuisine, and hands-on programs so that visitors can experience a variety of flavors from both Busan and around the world.

There will be a "World Food Village" showcasing dishes from various countries, a "Sweet Land" featuring Busan’s bakeries, and a "Seafood Port" focusing on seafood cuisine. Additional features include "Experience School" where visitors can participate hands-on, "Delicious Dining," a premium dining area, and "Delicious Busan Zone" highlighting local Busan specialties.

This year’s expo will feature a total of 230 booths. In the "World Food Village," organizations and companies from Japan, France, Italy, and Vietnam will participate to introduce authentic local dishes and cultures.

In "Delicious Dining," which features Busan restaurants, collaborative menu items will be presented. On October 10, Sogongan and Sinbalwon Samseong Sushi will participate, and on October 11, Sogongan and Shunsaikubo will welcome guests.

Cooking shows starring renowned chefs and Korean master chefs will also take place. On October 9, Park Hyonam, Master Chef of Korea; Park Kiseob, Chef of Sogongan in Busan; Kim Sangjin, Chef of Outro by Vito; and Jeong Jin-ho, CEO of Corduroy Pelaz, will showcase dishes using local Busan ingredients.

On October 10, star chef Sam Kim and chef Kwon Sungjun from "Napoli Matfia" will take the stage together. Chefs Kristine Ovrebo from Norway and Ahn Jongseong will also present a cooking show.

On October 11, chefs Cho Seohyeong and Kwak Donghun will host the "Busan×Seoul Street Cooking Show" using Hanwoo beef provided by the Hanwoo Board. There will also be a "Temple Banquet Cooking Show" with the participation of Beomeosa Seon Culture Education Center, providing a chance to experience diverse food cultures.

The Busan Marina Chef Challenge, which will be held at the same time, is an internationally certified culinary competition recognized by the World Association of Chefs' Societies (WACS). This year's event is expected to see over 600 participants, including both professional chefs and students majoring in culinary arts from Korea and abroad. The program will include individual and group live competitions, display contests, and the K-FOOD Festival.

Internationally, there are plans for around 50 teams totaling more than 60 participants from Taiwan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Vietnam, Thailand, and more. It will be a venue for culinary professionals from Korea and abroad to showcase their skills and share their food cultures.

The judging panel will consist of 42 domestic and international judges, including 18 overseas judges from Switzerland, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Mongolia, and Norway, ensuring that all competitions are evaluated according to international standards.

Jo Gyuyul, Director-General of Citizen Health at Busan Metropolitan City, stated, "This year's Busan International Food Expo has been prepared so that visitors can enjoy a wide range of food cultures from Busan and around the world in one place. We look forward to seeing chefs, citizens, and tourists from home and abroad come together to communicate and interact through food."

Busan City Hall.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.