New Year’s Foods for a Festive Table Setting  
To celebrate the New Year, In the Kitchen is getting a fresh makeover. Through the food styling of Min Hye-jung, we will explore how the everyday foods we enjoy can be transformed into beautiful and harmonious presentations, allowing us to appreciate the elegance and aesthetics of food. This January issue focuses on foods that are perfect for a New Year’s table setting.  
Editor: Son Min-jeong

Adding perilla leaves to braised short ribs can create a more aromatic and special dish. If serving the short ribs alone, consider layering a plate underneath the serving dish for an elegant presentation. If you want to try making a special pancake, 'yukjeon' (pan-fried meat) is also recommended. Topped with shiitake mushrooms and peppers, it enhances both sophistication and flavor.

A healthy dish of wild pine mushroom rice and grilled pine mushrooms made with natural ingredients. The broth is prepared with kelp and bonito flakes, seasoned with soy sauce and sake, and then cooked with finely chopped pine mushrooms and ginkgo nuts. The grilled pine mushrooms, lightly charred and served with salt and sesame oil, allow you to fully enjoy the delicate flavor of the mushrooms.

Braised short ribs, an essential dish for the holidays, are plated alongside a colorful assortment of pancakes: mushroom pancakes, cod pancakes, pumpkin pancakes, and shrimp pancakes are the stars of the show. The ingredients are not only presented in their original shapes but also coated separately with egg whites and yolks to enhance the colors.

For children, a soft bulgogi dish is presented with radish wraps and perilla leaves as highlights. Accompanied by refreshing and flavorful kimchi rice balls, this dish captures both visual appeal and taste.

Fish cake stir-fry with sliced fish cakes, shiitake mushrooms, and various vegetables. A tip to elevate this potentially ordinary dish is to layer the serving dish. By stacking plates and placing black beans underneath, the dish and food can be presented in a harmonious and eye-catching way.

Rice cake dishes are a must for the New Year. How about presenting a new take on oil stir-fried rice cakes? Pumpkin, always suitable for the chilly autumn and winter months, is used here. The oil stir-fried rice cakes, made with a simple recipe, are placed on top of roasted delicata squash and garnished with sesame seeds and green onions. The oil stir-fried rice cakes, made with whole rice cake slices on radish wraps and accompanied by ginkgo nuts, can also be styled as a refined dish.

A beautifully decorated pudding-style steamed egg dish adorned with edible flowers and violets. Egg dishes are loved by everyone, but this soft steamed egg, prepared by straining it to achieve a pudding-like texture, requires a bit more effort. Using a white ceramic dish for presentation enhances its elegance. It serves wonderfully as an appetizer for a formal meal and is also a great option for a simple and warm breakfast, embodying the essence of healthy home cooking.

To avoid a greasy New Year’s table, let’s prepare a refreshing salad with acorn jelly, green seaweed jelly, and vegetables. The jelly salad is served with fresh baby greens, crown daisy, and seasoned soy sauce. The jelly can be scooped into round shapes using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop or cut out with a flower-shaped cookie cutter for an even more appealing presentation.

Min Hye-jung, Food Stylist

A food stylist who meticulously considers the ingredients, flavors, and aesthetics of each dish, pouring care into every single creation. Currently residing in New Jersey, she studied living design and textile pattern design in Tokyo, Japan. As a board member of the nonprofit organization Family Touch USA, she has been organizing gala events for over 15 years. She also provides consulting for restaurant interior decoration and collaborated on an exhibition with New York artist Minku Kim in 2018. In 2019, she launched Hye Studio, which she continues to operate. In addition to food, she incorporates flower design, allowing for comprehensive consulting for catering and private events. Inquiries about cooking classes are also welcome. More diverse food styling photos can be found on her Instagram.