Hello, this is Tana Chung. I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy. As a working mom and homemaker, I am still quite busy. I’d like to share a story about a private dining experience I recently prepared for a couple of foreign friends for Mom & I in the Kitchen. My friend had asked me to do this since last year, and I finally got around to it. While I’m not an expert in flowers or food, I enjoy hosting parties at home, and my friend really wanted me to make it happen. After planning the table decor, flowers, and menu, I went to the flower market in Manhattan at dawn to buy flowers and prepared the food. I even made the cake myself. Since it was a special occasion just for my friends, I decided to create a concept that resembled a flower garden.

Knowing that my friend's husband loves sailing, I made a cake with that theme. It had a sea and wave feel, with sail decorations on top. It was a one-of-a-kind cake. Although I am a jewelry designer, I have always enjoyed making things by hand, even wishing to study sculpture in college. I have enjoyed making fondant cakes, and I also make my child's birthday cakes myself, with themes changing every year, like dinosaurs or safaris. It’s fun to create special cakes for my child and build memories together each year.

The flower wholesale market is located between 6th and 7th Avenue on 28th Street in Manhattan. It operates from 5 AM to 12 PM. I usually go there to buy high-quality flowers for special events, but since it’s a place frequented by florists, the prices can be a bit high. Therefore, unless it’s a big event, I think it’s perfectly fine to buy flowers from markets like Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s to create beautiful arrangements. I’m not an expert, but I was glad my friend was so happy with the decorations I put together with care.

I planned a 10-course tasting menu. I called it a tasting because I wanted the guests to enjoy a variety of small dishes slowly. There were some dishes I didn’t manage to capture in photos. I enjoy hosting dinner parties and preparing course meals at home, and while I draw inspiration from various places, I find that I get a lot of ideas from Korean cuisine. People often ask how I manage to prepare so many different dishes at once, and I suppose it’s a skill I’ve developed over the past ten years. I prepare everything needed for the ingredients and decor in advance. When cooking at home, I number small containers according to the order of the dishes, ensuring that all sauces, garnishes, and necessary ingredients are ready. During serving time, I focus on grilling or heating the main ingredients so that everything can be served promptly. It does require a lot of effort, and it takes time to prepare everything according to the ideas I have. To avoid mistakes, I always sketch the order and presentation of the dishes in my recipe notebook beforehand.

1. Three different flavored appetizer dishes. The first is a dish with a pancake topped with French cream mixed with liquor and a quail egg, garnished with caviar. The second is a truffle egg custard, a rich egg dish infused with truffle flavor. The third is a refreshing dish prepared with watermelon topped with creamy feta cheese sauce, lime dressing, and red radish.
2. Inspired by Korean bibimbap, this dish features seasoned rice like sushi rice topped with sea urchin and soy sauce shrimp, garnished with salmon caviar, fruits, and vegetables, served with a soy sauce reduction and wasabi.
3. Foie gras pie, decorated with pie crust, apple, and yellow figs, served with balsamic sauce.
4. For the course meal, I consider the balance of flavors. If there were heavier dishes before, I prepare something refreshing. I made a cantaloupe gazpacho, which is often thought of as a summer dish. It’s garnished with crunchy bread, burrata cheese sauce, and crispy prosciutto, with a spicy pepper as the final touch to add a Korean flair.
5. Thanks to my gourmet husband who grew up in Italy, I have made pasta countless times and honed my cooking skills. Now, my husband acknowledges my abilities. The ingredients I choose vary depending on what’s available in the market, but today I prepared white truffle pasta.
6. The main dish was prepared with two concepts: seafood and meat. The first main dish was inspired by the fresh and tender lobster dishes you might find in a good restaurant. Since fresh ingredients are key, I worked with live lobsters right before serving. I lightly torched the lobster meat and served it with a sauce made by simmering the lobster head and vegetables.
7. The second main dish also reflects Korean flavors. It features rice and medium-rare beef on lettuce, topped with shredded perilla leaves and ssamjang sauce. For a side garnish, I used the greens from young radish kimchi. Finally, I prepared a bone broth sauce to pour underneath for enjoyment.

I want to make everyday life as special and meaningful as possible. Even leftover rice from the previous day can be beautifully cooked and presented again. I really love the word "passion," and I think I have a bit more of that unyielding energy within me. Even with my limited talents, I want to share and use what I can. My cooking is influenced by the delicious Korean dishes made by my grandmother, whom I’ve admired since childhood, and by the food I’ve experienced in Sicily, where my husband was born. Italy is blessed with its local ingredients, so even simple cooking can be incredibly delicious. I enjoy preparing food while considering flavor pairings and aesthetics, sharing it with family and friends, and posting it on social media. When others ask for dinner menu ideas or recipe shares, I find the process of everyday life quite enjoyable. As December approaches, I can’t help but think about Christmas. Besides planning for the Christmas dinner, I’m also contemplating how to decorate my home for the year-end. Last year, I broke away from the usual red Christmas theme and created a blue Italian-themed atmosphere. I reused a white tree I bought from Home Depot, decorating it with blue and silver ornaments, and I purchased tablecloths and decorations from various shops that would complement the theme. This year, I will likely share my decorations on social media as well. I’m curious about what plans others have for the year-end.

Tana Chung

Tana Chung is the founder and designer of the fine jewelry brand Tana Chung, residing in Manhattan, New York. She studied industrial design and fashion design at Ewha Womans University and launched the Tana Chung Jewelry Contemporary Collection in New York in 2008. She received the 2013 AABCD Emerging Young Designer Award at Macy’s Headquarters and has collaborated with fashion celebrities like Patricia Field and Erin Fetherston, actively participating as a socialite in New York. Recently, there has been a surge in inquiries as Lily Collins wore her jewelry extensively in the Netflix series "Emily in Paris." Her products can be viewed on the official Tana Chung Jewelry Instagram, and her life as a working mom and homemaking tips can be found on her personal Instagram and YouTube. 
@tanachung / @tanachung_official Tana Chung