Mixing Imaginations
Bibimbap is a traditional Korean dish which literally means “mixed rice.” It is prepared by mixing together various kinds of vegetables and meat or fish over rice. This unique dish made number 40 on the “World's 50 Most Delicious Foods” readers' poll compiled by CNN Travel in 2011.
Jeonju Bibimbap is one of the most famous types of bibimbap in Korea. There are two key ingredients in Jeonju Bibimbap that differentiates it from other, lesser bibimbap: kongnamul and yukhoe, or soybean sprouts and raw beef in English. The rice used in Jeonju Bibimbap is also made with beef stock to reduce stickiness for easier mixing.
From Oct. 23 to 26 the 7th Jeonju Bibimbap Festival will be held in Jeonju Hanok Village and the Korea Traditional Culture Center. With the slogan “Delicious Imagination and Happy Mixing,” this festival is being hosted by the City of Jeonju and organized by Pungnam Culture Corporate Body.
Bibimbap symbolizes harmony and the preservation of originality together; thus this bibimbap festival is an expression of Korea’s taste, style, joy, and health. The City of Jeonju has been selected as one of UNESCO’s creative cities because of its food.
The festival will run under five mixing themes: delicious mix, happy mix, unique mix, healthy mix, and together mix. There will be tons of fun and exciting events including cooking classes, a food festival, cooking contests for all ages, a gigantic bibimbap mixing event, music concerts, and games. There will also be plenty of things to see with an exhibition of “The Past, Present, and Future of Jeonju Bibimbap,” a country food evaluation show, and a ceramic plate exhibition. With nutritionists present, visitors can also learn the healthy way to eat bibimbap and try healthy food. And everyone can join in Nambu Market, where the history of Jeonju Bibimbap all began.