56 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM “So if all my people I brought to this restaurant love his food, it's got to work in the States!” Did Han adapt his cooking to cater to American palates upon arriving in the Bay Area? “After a lot of consideration, I wanted to keep it as authentic as possible, so I didn't change anything from how I’ve done it in Korea,” says Han in Korean, with Jay translating. “I want to showcase it in the most authentic way.” Easier said than done. Jay explains that the high quality of Korean beef is well-known throughout Asia—but unfortunately, it can’t be imported to the States. How did they overcome this hurdle and achieve a similar taste? “The answer is all about aging the beef,” says Han, explaining the impact that to his future career path. She pointed out that book smarts weren’t his strength. Would he consider pursuing sports or cooking instead? Han agreed to attend culinary school, but found the lessons uninspired. They taught what already worked, not what truly stood out. Han dared to be creative, choosing to forge his own path and find his own flavor rather than copy the latest food trends. He found a hands-on education in professional kitchens to be far superior. While Han was starting to make a name for himself, Jay was living in Singapore—and whenever he traveled with others to Korea, he’d take them to Han’s restaurant. “Singapore is a multinational country. You have a lot of U.S. citizens over there, Europeans, Asians, Australians,” Jay explains. {food coloring} moisture levels can have on the meat. The grilling process is also key in recreating a taste of home. At OLHSO, there are two experiences. Diners can either opt for the traditional tableside grilling or order plates cooked in the charcoal-fueled Emberhaus oven in the kitchen, which gives dishes a smoky depth that can't be achieved with a gas grill. “If you go to Korea and Japan, most of the high-end barbecue places only use charcoal. Nobody uses gas over there,” says Jay. In contrast, “the U.S. is typically very harsh on charcoal usage in the restaurant so now you don't get much of a charcoal flavor in the barbecue scene in the U.S.” Undeterred, OLHSO worked with the fire and health departments so they could bring dishes cooked with highgrade charcoal to their guests.
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