A Culinary Journey in Naju... '31st Namdo Food Culture Grand Festival' Opens Oct. 23

A Festival Bringing Together the Food Cultures of 27 Cities, Counties, and Districts
Chef Dinner Shows and Master Demonstrations... Cooking Experiences for Children

A culinary festival where visitors can enjoy representative dishes and food culture from Jeolla-do, renowned for its cuisine, will be held in Naju.

Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City announced on October 21 that it will hold the 31st Namdo Food Culture Grand Festival for three days, from October 23 to 25, at and around Yeongsan River Garden in Naju.

The festival is co-hosted by Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City and Naju City and organized by the Namdo Food Culture Grand Festival Foundation.

Held under the slogan "An Integrated Special City United by the Flavors of Namdo," the festival will feature dinner shows by renowned chefs, cooking demonstrations and tastings by masters of Namdo cuisine, and hands-on experiences with signature local dishes.

On October 23, the opening day, the opening ceremony will take place at 6 p.m., followed at 7 p.m. by "Naju's Kitchen," a special dinner show featuring Ahn Yuseong, a master chef of the Republic of Korea, and chefs from the Maîtres Cuisiniers de France (MCF).

On October 24, Ven. Jeong Kwan and Chef Cheon Sanghyeon will each host a dinner show, at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., respectively. Ven. Jeong Kwan will present temple cuisine, while Chef Cheon Sanghyeon is set to serve Muan onion jajangmyeon and tangsuyuk made with ingredients from Namdo.

"The Flavors of Namdo," where visitors can discover the food cultures of different local areas, will also be held. The 27 cities, counties, and districts will be grouped into five regions—forests and mountains; the archipelago and the southwestern coast; Gwangju's five districts; the west coast and the Yeongsan River; and tidal flats and bays—with each region showcasing signature dishes that reflect its distinctive character.

At "The Table of Namdo Culinary Masters," 12 masters of Namdo cuisine will demonstrate how to prepare signature dishes and offer visitors the chance to sample them. Visitors can also join a "Culinary Master Cooking Class" and make traditional food alongside a master.

A wide range of hands-on programs will be available for children and families. On October 24 and 25, a free "Kids' Cooking Class," where children can cook with ingredients from Namdo, will be held three times a day. Other activities include random play dance for teenagers, a puppet show for children, kite flying and horseback riding, balloon art, and launching wish boats on the Yeongsan River.

Other offerings include experiences focused on Namdo food culture and fermented foods, as well as side-dish making. The festival will also feature a themed pavilion, a culinary masters pavilion, exhibition halls for the 27 cities, counties, and districts, and a pavilion dedicated to historic family clans of Jeollanam-do.

Visitors wishing to attend programs such as the special dinner shows, "The Table of Namdo Culinary Masters," and "The Flavors of Namdo" can book tickets in advance through Ticketlink. For the Culinary Master Cooking Class, visitors should apply in advance on the festival website and pay at the venue.

Oh Mikyung, head of the Tourism Policy Division at Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City, said, "This year's Namdo Food Culture Grand Festival is an opportunity to experience the diverse food culture and local attractions of Namdo all in one place." She added, "I hope people will enjoy the flavors and charms of Namdo with their loved ones at Yeongsan River Garden in Naju."

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