Mat Nam by Your Local: A pop-up featuring Culinary Class Wars chefs, open now until June 1

“White spoon” chefs Lee Young-Sook and Choi Ji-Hyung kicked off Episode One on the 6th of April, bringing their distinguished expertise in Korean cuisine to the Your Local pop-up. 

The jolly chef Lee of restaurant Nakyung is famed for her mastery of traditional and regional Korean cuisine, as well as her love for mushrooms—an ingredient she utilises in both of her Mat Nam dishes: the classic japchae and her mushroom chicken gangjeong.

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“While Filipinos are very familiar with japchae, it’s actually quite rare to see restaurants selling it,” shares Kim, speaking and interpreting on behalf of chef Lee. “We usually only cook japchae on festive days like a wedding or a birthday. Since this is a special collaboration, she wanted to cook something meaningful.”

Her iteration of japchae is strikingly less sweet and far more delicate than what you might expect, and this is by design. “She was unsure whether to adjust the flavours for the locals or not,” Kim explains, “but she’s a traditional chef, so she wanted to deliver how japchae actually tasted in the old days.” Tossed in a light soy-sugar sauce, the sweet potato noodles—symbolic of long life—are supplemented by pork loin, mushrooms, and a colourful spread of vegetables that sing through the dish with sweetness and crunch.

With her second dish, chef Lee took greater creative liberties, combining chicken gangjeong (Korean fried chicken) with her affinity for mushrooms. Her mushroom chicken gangjeong is coated the traditional way, with a much thinner breading than what we’re accustomed to, then fried and tossed in a sticky, spicy-sweet gochujang-ketchup glaze.

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Credited with offering the world’s first North Korean course menu, Leebukbang’s chef Choi proved to be an intriguing complement to chef Lee. “My mother’s mum is from North Korea, so I grew up with my grandmother’s recipes for North Korean food,” Choi explains. “It’s a lot of fermented food, mountain ingredients, seafood, vegetables, and proteins from farms, all mixed together.”

Chef Choi’s first dish is one steeped in over 1000 years of history, originating from the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo, which is now in modern-day North Korea. A simple, straightforward preparation, Choi’s maekjoegui is composed of grilled pork belly marinated in doenjang (Korean miso), a bed of tofu and sesame “hummus”, plus sautéed vegetables and leeks—a common pairing with pork in Korean cuisine. “I tweaked it a bit to localise the dish,” says Choi, revealing that he lightly dressed the leeks with calamansi. 

“The second dish is chicken braised in gochujang sauce,” Choi continues. The chicken sits on a bed of fragrant green rice flavoured with cilantro and kkaennip (Korean shiso), and is served with zucchini, charred and pickled leeks, and a paper-thin sheet of crispy, delicious chicken skin. Through Mat Nam, the chef hopes to broaden guests’ understanding of Korean cuisine. “We have more dishes beyond kimchi, samgyeupsal, galbijjim—we have japchae, we have pork belly with miso, we have braised chicken. I want to introduce more Korean food to the public so they develop interest and curiosity.”

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Chef Go further adds to the excitement with all-new Your Local dishes, exclusive to the Mat Nam pop-up and available until the June 1. Inspired by the Culinary Class Wars chefs, the host chef took the opportunity to utilise Korean ingredients while remaining rooted in his flair for creative Filipino and Asian flavours.

The Balmori 3.0 menu boasts impactful small plates like the cheeky MSG, which stands for mantou toast, shiitake mushroom, and gorgonzola. Plated with Korean seaweed and topped off with generous shavings of Parmesan, it’s a crispy umami bomb that kickstarts the meal in full force. Meanwhile, the torched halibut leverages bright, punchy flavours with its kamatis sambal and coconut milk sauce, seasoned with Korean fish broth.

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Among the mains, the halibut with ginamos rendang, kaffir, Korean sesame leaf, and charred lettuce is a worthwhile pick for those after a lighter option. While generous in both size and flavour, the lean fish is delicately steamed and would make an ideal pairing with a side of jasmine rice. However, those who prefer to double down and opt for a more indulgent side may opt for the delectable palabok rice: smoked fish rice topped with chicharon, Korean seaweed, and dashi palabok sauce poured right at the table.

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Though there are many compelling temptations on the menu, it is highly recommended that you save room for dessert. Those with a liking for fruity, citrusy desserts will delight in the yuzu-mansi cake: a summery yuzu and calamansi tres leches with salted cream, crunchy banana chips, fresh and juicy orange segments, and a thoughtful touch of kalingag (local cinnamon) for warmth. To longtime fans of Your Local, the second dessert, “choco na gatas”, needs no introduction. But for his third stint at The Balmori Suites, chef Go presents his new and improved take on the dessert, layering burnt milk ice cream, chocolate mousse, puffed rice, toasted rice powder, and fruity Criollo cacao nibs from Negros—a sophisticated yet thoroguhly comforting dessert that’s sure to be a crowd-favourite.

More from Tatler: Understanding the global cacao shortage and how it impacts the Philippines

“I think he’s a very good leader,” reflects chef Choi, referencing his time in the kitchen with chef Go. “He has a lot of passion and skill. He’s well-balanced and a very talented person to work with. He cares about us, our cuisine, our condition.”

“What she felt working in the kitchen with chef Patrick, is the care,” adds Kim, sharing chef Lee’s experience. “Filipinos are caring, and she really felt that. When you work in the kitchen, it can be really stressful–there’s pressure and all that—but she appreciated that they made her feel very comfortable.”

Evidently, the feeling is mutual. “⁠It was a great experience to be side-by-side with the chefs,” says Go, reflecting on the early days of Episode One with chefs Lee and Choi. “They were amazing in the kitchen. I really enjoyed seeing both of them work and the contrast between both of their styles. The team and I learned a lot from them, from cooking techniques, seasoning style, to authentic Korean flavours.”

While Mat Nam’s first two guest chefs are now back in South Korea, their speciality dishes will remain available at Mat Nam for the duration of Episode One, which concludes on April 23. Episode Two runs from April 26 to May 14 with chef Bang Ki-su of BBQ restaurant Gitdeun, famed for his stint as the executive chef of Bicena, which earned a Michelin star under his helm. Finally, Mat Nam will host chef Kim Byung-Mook for Episode Three, which will begin on May 17. Known as the “Yakitori King” on Culinary Class Wars, he joins Mat Nam as the only “black spoon” underdog on the roster.

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Chefs Bang Ki-su and Kim Byung-Mook will only be at the pop-up for the first two days of their scheduled takeovers—be sure to secure your seats for these select days to meet the Culinary Class Wars chefs in the flesh. For reservations, contact +63 945 427 0054.