PORTLAND, Ore., October 5, 2026 (Newswire.com)
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Korean ingredients met the flavors and culinary spirit of the Pacific Northwest on Saturday evening as the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT Center) partnered with Portland restaurant Arden for a one-night-only culinary collaboration led by Executive Chef Erik Van Kley.
The special dinner brought together Korean ingredients and Oregon’s seasonal bounty, offering guests a fresh perspective on familiar ingredients such as gochujang, kimchi, yuja, Korean pear, ssamjang and soju.
Rather than recreating traditional Korean dishes, Chef Van Kley incorporated Korean ingredients into Arden’s own culinary style, demonstrating how naturally Korean flavors can complement local ingredients and contemporary American cooking.
“Working with Chef Erik and the team at Arden gave us an exciting opportunity to introduce Korean ingredients in a way that feels approachable and relevant to the Portland community,” said Yutae Paik, President of aT LA. “We wanted guests to experience these ingredients not only as part of Korean cuisine, but also as versatile products that can inspire new dishes, drinks and everyday cooking.”
A Five-Course Menu by Chef Erik Van Kley
The evening featured a five-course menu designed by Chef Van Kley, beginning with a welcome pour and a surprise opening dish.
Guests were welcomed with Lemon Soju with Perilla Leaf, followed by a surprise Cured Tuna Tostada featuring gochugaru, peanut salsa macha, yuja aioli and cilantro.
The first course, Bibimbap Scotch Egg, brought together rice, ssamjang, roasted mushroom, pickled carrot and chili threads in an inventive interpretation of the classic Scotch egg.
The second course, Kimchi Spaghetti Carbonara, paired house-made bacon and kimchi butter with Pecorino Romano and black pepper, bringing Korean fermented flavors into a familiar Italian pasta dish.
The third course, Korean Fried Sweetbreads, was served with a steamed bun, gochujang, yuja ranch, spring onion and herb salad, balancing rich, savory flavors with bright and fresh elements.
The meal concluded with Korean Pear Tart, featuring red bean butterscotch, graham cracker, Korean pear sherbet and mint.
Together, the five-course experience demonstrated the versatility of Korean ingredients beyond traditional applications while maintaining the seasonal, ingredient-driven approach for which Arden is known.
Kimchi Spaghetti Carbonara to Continue for One Week
One of the evening’s standout dishes, Kimchi Spaghetti Carbonara, will continue to be available at Arden for one week following the event, giving diners who were unable to attend the one-night-only collaboration an opportunity to experience one of the evening’s featured Korean-inspired creations.
The dish combines the familiar comfort of carbonara with the deep fermented flavor of kimchi, creating a distinctly Korean-American interpretation of a classic pasta dish.
The week-long offering also extends the collaboration beyond a single evening, allowing more members of the Portland community to discover how Korean ingredients can be incorporated into familiar foods.
Korean Ingredients Meet the Pacific Northwest
A central theme of the collaboration was accessibility.
Gochujang, a fermented Korean red pepper paste known for its spicy, slightly sweet and deeply savory flavor, appeared throughout the menu in sauces and accompaniments. Yuja, a fragrant Korean citrus, added brightness to both savory and sweet preparations, while Korean pear brought natural sweetness and freshness to the dessert and beverage program.
Kimchi and ssamjang provided distinctive fermented and savory notes, while Korean soju became a key element of the evening’s beverage offerings.
“Arden’s philosophy of working with seasonal Oregon ingredients made this collaboration feel like a natural fit,” Paik said. “It was exciting to see how Chef Erik interpreted Korean products through his own creative perspective and created dishes that were both unexpected and approachable.”
Korean-Inspired Cocktails
The beverage program extended the collaboration beyond the dinner menu with three special cocktails.
Glowing Golden combined gin, yuja marmalade, fresh lemon and gochugaru. Bae 75 paired soju with Korean pear juice, lemon and sparkling wine. For a non-alcoholic option, Pear Spritz featured Korean pear juice, lemon and sparkling water.
The drinks highlighted the versatility of Korean ingredients and offered guests another way to experience familiar Korean flavors.
Building Culinary Connections
For aT Center, the event was part of its broader effort to introduce Korean food products to American consumers and build connections with local chefs, restaurants, retailers and communities.
The organization works with culinary professionals and food communities across the United States to make Korean ingredients more familiar and accessible, while creating opportunities for chefs to explore Korean products through their own culinary traditions and perspectives.
The Portland collaboration also underscored the role food can play in creating meaningful cultural connections.
By bringing Korean ingredients into a beloved local restaurant and pairing them with seasonal Pacific Northwest ingredients, the evening offered guests an opportunity to discover Korean flavors in a new context-while demonstrating that exploring Korean cuisine does not require a complete Korean meal or extensive culinary knowledge.
A simple ingredient such as gochujang, yuja or Korean pear can become a starting point for discovering new flavors at home.
The successful evening at Arden marked another step in creating culinary connections between Korea and the Pacific Northwest, with Korean ingredients taking center stage in a distinctly Portland dining experience.
Contact Information:
FinDig Marketing
Jennifer Jung
jennifer@findigusa.com
SOURCE: aT Center Los Angeles
Source: aT Center Los Angeles
Dining and Cooking