| Genre: | Food travelogue |
| Director: | Charles Pinsky |
| Starring: | Marja Vongerichten Jean-Georges Vongerichten |
| Opentheme: | "Restart the Show" |
| Composer: | SOREA |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Num Seasons: | 1 |
| Num Episodes: | 13 |
| Executive Producer: | Frappé Inc. (Charles Pinsky) Eric Rhee Diana Kang Jung Sook Park Sara Park Marja Vongerichten |
| Producer: | Eric Rhee |
| Location: | Korea US |
| Runtime: | 30 minutes |
| Channel: | Syndicated to public television |
Kimchi Chronicles is an American food program airing on PBS that is part travelogue, part food narrative, and part documentary of self-discovery. Host Marja Vongerichten,[1] a Korean American-Adoptee, explores Korean food and culture, and her unique life story is told throughout the series. In the show, viewers experience Korea through Marja's distinct perspective.
Each episode begins in Korea, where Marja, her husband Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and other special guests[2] travel to different areas of Korea and taste their local foods. Then, they return to New York, where they recreate Korean recipes, specifically tailored for a modern American kitchen. Episodes cover different categories of food, providing a comprehensive overview of Korean food.
The show features acclaimed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, actress Heather Graham, and actor Hugh Jackman and his wife, actress Deborra-Lee Furness who are also upstairs neighbors in New York City of the Vongerichten family.[3]
The show was sponsored by the Visit Korea Committee, Korean Food Foundation, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.[1]
The production company for the show was Frappé, Inc., which is owned by Charles Pinsky.
| Episode | Title | Location | Episode Location Detail Page | Episode Summary | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | "The Kimchi Chronicles Begin" | Seoul, New York | The Kimchi Chronicles Begin is an introduction to the basics of Korean cooking featuring Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness. | July 2, 2011 | ||
| 102 | "The Rice Chronicles" | Seoul, Busan | Seoul, Busan | The Rice Chronicles explore Korea's most prized staple food with Marja's friend Heather Graham. | July 9, 2011 | |
| 103 | "The Jeju Chronicles" | Jeju | Jeju | The Jeju Chronicles explore Jeju Island, the Hawaii of Korea. | July 16, 2011 | |
| 104 | "The Seafood Chronicles" | Seoul, Sokcho | The Seafood Chronicles dive into the waters surrounding the South Korean peninsula. | July 23, 2011 | ||
| 105 | "The Bean Chronicles" | Seoul, Chodang, Jeonju | Seoul, Chodang, Jeonju | The Bean Chronicles tap into the history of Korean cooking and culture. | July 30, 2011 | |
| 106 | "The Beef Chronicles" | Seoul, Andong | The Beef Chronicles trace the history of beef in Korea along with Heather Graham, Hugh Jackman, and Deborra-Lee Furness. | August 6, 2011 | ||
| 107 | "The Fish Chronicles" | Seoul, Sokcho, Busan | The Fish Chronicles explore the entire coastlines of Korea with Heather Graham. | July 7, 2011 | ||
| 108 | "The Seoul Food Chronicles" | Seoul | Seoul | The Seoul Food Chronicles cover the best of Seoul, from late-night drinks to striking fashion and street food. | August 20, 2011 | |
| 109 | "The Chicken Chronicles" | Chuncheon, Andong | Chuncheon, Andong | The Chicken Chronicles explore Korea's most beloved chicken dishes all over the country. | July 17, 2011 | |
| 110 | "The Noodle and Dumpling Chronicles" | Seoul | The Noodle and Dumpling Chronicles cover every favorite noodle and dumpling dish in Korea with plenty of slurping along the way. | July 31, 2011 | ||
| 111 | "The Pork Chronicles" | Seoul | The Pork Chronicles get into the Korean love for everything pig. | September 10, 2011 | ||
| 112 | "The Street Food Chronicles" | Seoul, Sokcho | The Street Food Chronicles explore all of the hugely popular Korean dishes from street carts and stands and dishes are shared with Hugh Jackman. | September 17, 2011 | ||
| 113 | "The Kimchi Chronicles Conclude" | Seoul, Sokcho, Pyeongchang | Seoul, Sokcho, Pyeongchang | The Kimchi Chronicles Conclude brings the show full circle and is all about special occasions. | September 24, 2011 |
In August 2011, Rodale, Inc. published a hardcover companion cookbook, The Kimchi Chronicles: Korean Cooking for an American Kitchen[4] , written by Marja Vongerichten with Julia Turshen.
The 13-episode series was released on DVD[5] in October 2011 .
On October 16, 2012, Marja Vongerichten was a guest speaker at the George Washington University Jack Morton Auditorium, where she presented a humorous lecture about the Kimchi Chronicles, Korean culture, and her biracial identity.[6] The Korean Cultural Center, Embassy of the Republic of Korea, organized and sponsored the event.[6]