Star Chefs Meet Local Ingredients... Jinan Highland Food Festa Wraps Up

"Go to Jinan! One with Food!"
Food Festival Connects to Local Businesses

The "2026 Jinan Highland Food Festa," featuring a variety of food-related events from cooking demonstrations by star chefs to hands-on activities using local agricultural specialties, wrapped up its two-day program on October 25.

Jinan County said it held the festival from October 24 to 25 around Jinan Public Stadium, offering cooking programs featuring ingredients from the Jinan Highlands, local food sales, and family-friendly activities.

Star chefs Jung Hoyoung and Park Eunyoung faced off in an impromptu cooking competition using local ingredients at the 2026 Jinan Plateau Food Festa on the 24th. Provided by Jinan County Office.

Held under the theme "Go to Jinan! One with Food!," the festival was organized to promote the value of local agricultural products and expand sales channels for restaurants and small business owners. Cooking demonstrations, hands-on activities, and sales booths operated despite the rainy weather, while the county focused on on-site safety measures, including managing visitor routes and assigning safety personnel.

On the festival's first day, a nationwide university student cooking competition and a live chef battle drew visitors' attention. The students presented creative dishes made with Jinan agricultural products, while chefs Jung Hoyoung and Park Eunyoung competed in an impromptu cooking showdown using local ingredients.

On the second day, Chef Cheon Sang-hyun, a former head chef at the Blue House, presented "Highland Gourmet Gathering (Healing Table)," featuring ingredients from Jinan. Cooking YouTuber Chwiyoonam introduced creative ways to use local specialties with dishes made using Kkamdoya, Jinan's black pork brand.

Food stalls run by local restaurants and a food cart zone operated at the venue. A brand pavilion showcasing Jinan's processed foods and local produce, a direct-sales market for agricultural products, and a flea market also welcomed visitors.

Programs linked to Jinan Highland Market were also held to encourage festival spending to extend beyond the venue and into local businesses. Activities included Market Mission Bingo, "Find a Color: A Lap Around the Market," and a receipt event, encouraging visitors to shop at the traditional market. During the festival, the use of reusable containers and operation of a clean zone helped reduce waste and maintain the venue's cleanliness.

A Jinan County official said, "This festival was significant because it introduced gourmet content featuring Jinan's excellent ingredients and brought together local restaurants and small business owners. We will continue to develop distinctive food content unique to Jinan and grow the festival into a culinary tourism event linked to local businesses."

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