Dishes from “Bon Appétit, Your Majesty”: Recipes, Historical Context & Period Adaptations

Based on the episodes aired so far, here are the verified dishes that female lead Yeon Ji-young creates in the Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, complete with recipes, historical context, and how she managed to prepare them with Joseon-era equipment and ingredients.

When you serve dishes from Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, elegance and flavor instantly take center stage.

1. Gochujang Butter Bibimbap (Episode 1)

Modern Ingredients: Rice, spinach, bean sprouts, carrots, mushrooms, marinated beef, fried egg, gochujang, hazelnut brown butter

Historical Adaptation: Ji-young substitutes butter (unavailable in Joseon) with rendered animal fat or sesame oil. She uses traditional dolsot (stone bowls), which were heated over wood fires.

How She Made It in the Joseon Era

• Equipment: Stone bowl (dolsot) heated over charcoal brazier, iron pots (sot) for rice cooking

• Ingredients Available: All vegetables were native to Korea, gochujang, which she carried in her pocket, and sesame oil replaced butter

• Cooking Method: Each vegetable is seasoned separately with sesame oil, salt, and garlic – traditional banchan preparation methods

Bibimbap originated during the Three Kingdoms period (57 BC – 668 AD) as a practical way to mix leftover banchan (side dishes) with rice. Royal court versions were elaborately presented with specific color arrangements symbolizing harmony.

2. Sous Vide Beef with Korean Seasoning (Episode 2)

Modern Method: Beef cooked at 49-55°C using sous vide technique. Sous vide is a cooking method where meat is sealed in a bag and cooked slowly in warm water. It keeps the meat juicy, tender, and evenly cooked without drying out.
Seasoning: Anchovy, salted shrimp, and mushroom powder (Joseon-era MSG)

Problem: Sous vide requires precise temperature control impossible with Joseon equipment
Drama Solution: Ji-young likely used slow braising in ttukbaegi (earthenware pots) with consistent low heat over charcoal

How She Managed Without Modern Equipment

• Equipment: Ttukbaegi earthenware pot for even heat distribution

• Temperature Control: Multiple small charcoal fires adjusted for consistent low heat

• Tenderizing Method: Long, slow cooking (2-3 hours) with occasional liquid addition

• Available Seasonings: Anchovy paste (myeolchi jeot), fermented shrimp (saeujeot), dried mushrooms – all traditional ingredients

Korean court cuisine emphasized tender, slow-cooked meats. Galbijjim (braised short ribs) was a similar royal dish requiring hours of careful cooking. Nothing says culinary luxury like dishes from Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, tailored for refined palates.

3. Haute Cuisine (Episode 3)

1. Starter (Hors d’oeuvre): Venison Yukhoe with Kelp Chips

Recipe & Modern Preparation:

• Base: Venison tartare (instead of traditional beef yukhoe)

• Mixed with: Korean pear, scallions, bean sprouts, egg yolk

• Garnish: Pine nuts

• Served on: Crispy fried kelp chips as the base

Yukhoe traditionally dates back to the Three Kingdoms period under Mongolian influence, but historical records show it appeared in the 17th century Joseon Dynasty. During Joseon, cattle slaughter was strictly controlled, making beef yukhoe exclusively a royal court delicacy.

Venison variations did exist historically:

• Jangyuk-hoe  – roe deer venison

• Nogyuk-hoe – sika deer or wapiti deer venison

How She Made Venison Yukhoe in Joseon Era

Equipment: Sharp iron knives, wooden cutting boards, stone mortars for pine nuts
Preparation Method:

1. Venison selection: Used the tenderloin from the king’s fresh hunt

2. Blood removal: Soaked thin venison slices to remove blood (traditional method)

3. Seasoning: Sesame oil, salt, minced garlic, Korean pear, pine nuts

4. Historical accuracy: All ingredients were available in 16th century Joseon

2. Soup (Potage): Thick Pea Soup

Historical Adaptation: Ji-young used peas to make potage making it creamy & smooth dish, thickened with ground beans – a technique common in Joseon court cuisine.

3. Main Course (Viande): Grilled Venison Tongue

Recipe: Venison tongue grilled over charcoal Korean BBQ style to enhance texture and flavor
Historical Method: Used traditional charcoal braziers and iron grilling racks available in royal kitchens

4. Clam and Spinach Doenjang Soup (Episode 4)

Ingredients:

• 100g spinach

• 15 small clams (jaecheop – freshwater clams)

• 3 tbsp doenjang (fermented soybean paste)

• Garlic, onion, green onions

Step-by-Step Historical Method

1. Clam Preparation: Purge clams in salted water for 1-2 hours (traditional method)

2. Broth Base: Boil water with dried anchovies, kelp, or dried shrimp

1. Doenjang Integration: Strain paste through bamboo sieve to prevent lumps

2. Cooking Order: Add clams first until shells open, then spinach until just wilted

How She Made It with Joseon Equipment

• Equipment: Iron pot (sot) for boiling, bamboo strainer for doenjang

• Heat Source: Wood fire with adjustable intensity using different wood types

• Available Ingredients: Freshwater clams from rivers, wild spinach, doenjang (existed since 3rd century)

Doenjang production dates to 3rd century CE during Goguryeo period. Doenjang-jjigae recipes appear in Jeungbo sallim gyeongje (1766), specifically mentioning similar preparations. This was considered comfort food even for royalty.

5. Doenjang Pasta with Buckwheat Noodles (Episode 4)

Modern Concept: Pasta with doenjang sauce
Historical Adaptation: Buckwheat noodles (memil-myeon) with stir-fried doenjang, clams, spinach, and garlic

How She Created “Pasta” in Joseon

• Noodle Making: Hand-pulled buckwheat noodles using traditional millstone (maesdol) for flour

• Equipment: Iron wok for stir-frying doenjang, wooden chopsticks for mixing

• Sauce Method: Doenjang sautéed with garlic and clam broth for umami depth

Characters eat with chopsticks and spoon (forks didn’t exist), twirling noodles – a detail that adds historical authenticity.

6. Snowflake Schnitzel with Jam Sauce (Episode 5)

Official Episode Title: “Course N° 5 Snowflake Schnitzel”

Meat Preparation:

• Beef pounded thin to tenderize (schnitzel technique)

• Coated in flour, egg wash, then unique “snowflake” coating

“Snowflake Frying” Innovation

Instead of breadcrumbs (unavailable in Joseon), Ji-young creates snowflake-like crispy coating by:

1. Making light batter from jing (refined wheat flour)

2. Dropping batter into hot oil to create crispy, snowflake-like pieces

3. Coating the schnitzel with these crispy “snowflakes”

Dual Sauce System:

• Tartar sauce (made with available ingredients)

• Sweet and tangy raspberry jam for contrast

Burdock Root Fries: Since potatoes didn’t exist in Joseon, Ji-young uses burdock root (ueong) cut into sticks, battered and fried. She explains burdock’s natural bitterness balances the richness of fried meat & used as a palate cleanser.

Ji-young uses the dish metaphorically, warning about judging by appearances – referring to deceitful courtiers and ambitious ministers who may appear good on the surface.

7. Black Sesame Macaron (Episode 6)

Modern Method: French macaron technique requiring precise oven temperatures
Historical Problem: No ovens in Joseon period – only ondol heating systems and wood fires

She used each ingredient as a cream filing & flavors for the macarons were black sesame, mugwort, dates, gardenia & rice.

Likely Historical Method

• Alternative Preparation: Steamed rice cakes (tteok) with black sesame flavoring

• Equipment: Steaming baskets over iron pots, traditional millstone for sesame powder

• Technique: Traditional tteok making methods with French-inspired presentation

8. Dongnae Pajeon (Green Onion Pancake) – Episode 7

Dongnae Pajeon: Famous regional specialty from Busan area, featuring abundant green onions and seafood

Traditional Preparation Method

• Batter: Rice flour or wheat flour mixed with water/egg broth

• Equipment: Flat iron pan heated over wood fire

• Ingredients: Green onions, fresh seafood (readily available in Joseon)

• Cooking Method: Pan-fried until golden and crispy

Jeon (pancakes) were traditional Korean dishes, commonly served at royal banquets and celebrations. The technique requires no modern equipment.

9. Rice Wine Beef Bourguignon (Episode 8)

Episode Title: “Course N° 8 Rice Wine Beef Bourguignon”
Competition Theme: “Nonexistent meat” – create a meat dish never seen before

The Missing Ingredient Drama

Just before the competition, Ji-young’s gochugaru (Korean chili powder) mysteriously vanishes. This was meant to be her secret weapon since gochugaru didn’t exist in Joseon era yet, making it truly “nonexistent.”

Modern Dish: Beef Bourguignon (French braised beef in red wine)
Historical Adaptation: Wild grape rice wine replaces red wine

Detailed Preparation Method

1. Beef Selection: Uses tough beef ribs that need long, slow cooking

2. Wine Substitute: Team gathers all available rice wine from the palace stores

1. Braising Method: Slow-simmers beef in rice wine using traditional iron pots (sot) over controlled fire

2. Additional Elements:

   • Puffed rice added for textural contrast and crunch

   • Pumpkin purée for richness and sweetness

   • Traditional seasonings available in Joseon period

Ji-young’s Explanation: She describes it as “a dish mothers in modern France cook for their children,” stirring nostalgic emotions in King Yi-heon. The slow braising technique was historically accurate – Korean royal cuisine emphasized tender, long-cooked meats using traditional vessels.

10. Kung Pao Chicken with Stolen Gochugaru (Episode 8)

Ming Team’s Dish

Dish Name: Gyejeong (계정) – described as “fiery creation reminiscent of volcanic heat”
Presentation: Cucumber flowers encasing diced chicken
Secret Ingredient: Ji-young’s stolen gochugaru used to make layu (red chili oil)

Fei Xiu (Ming chef) secretly uses Ji-young’s missing chili powder after obtaining it from Prince Je-san in exchange for Sichuan peppercorns. Ji-young immediately identifies the stolen ingredient by taste and aroma.

The dish creates an emotional response in both the King and envoy, transporting them to nostalgic memories despite being a “foreign” technique adapted with Korean ingredients.

11. Peking Duck Roll (Episode 8)

Competition Theme: Recreate dishes from each other’s nations
Ji-young’s Assignment: Make authentic Peking Duck (Ming Dynasty imperial dish)

Recipe & Historical Accuracy

Preparation Method:

1. Slow roasting over gentle flame to render fat and create crispy skin

2. Precise slicing: Duck cut into thin, uniform slices for even aroma distribution

3. Traditional roasting: Uses wood-fired furnace cooking methods

Ji-young explains that Peking Duck helped ease tensions during the 1970s China-US summit, making it diplomatically significant. As an imperial Ming dish, envoy Yu Gun would recognize authentic preparation.

Chef Maeng’s Sabotage: Under threat from Consort Kang (who threatened his mother’s life), Chef Maeng deliberately cuts his own hand while slicing the duck to avoid sabotaging Ji-young directly. Gil-geum steps in to complete the precise slicing task

Historical Cooking Equipment Available in Joseon Era

Essential Cookware

• Sot (철솥): Iron cooking pots for rice and soups

• Ttukbaegi (뚝배기): Earthenware pots for stews and slow cooking

• Dolsot (돌솥): Stone bowls for bibimbap, heated over fires

• Maesdol (맷돌): Stone millstones for grinding grains

• Jeolgu (절구): Stone mortars and pestles

• Bamboo steamers and strainers

Heat Sources & Temperature Control

• Charcoal braziers for consistent heat

• Wood fires with different wood types for varying temperatures

• Ondol underfloor heating system (limited use for cooking)

Key Fermented Ingredients Available

• Doenjang: Fermented since 3rd century CE

• Gochujang: Available from 16th century onward

• Ganjang (soy sauce): Byproduct of doenjang production

• Jeotgal: Various fermented seafood pastes

Historical Authenticity Assessment

The drama shows remarkable historical accuracy in ingredient availability and basic cooking techniques. The main anachronisms are:

1. Sous vide technique – impossible with period equipment

2. Precise oven temperatures for macarons

3. Modern knife techniques and presentation styles

However, Ji-young’s adaptations demonstrate genuine understanding of Joseon-era limitations and creative problem-solving using traditional methods. The dishes reflect authentic Korean royal court cuisine principles: harmony of flavors, medicinal properties of food (약식동원), and aesthetic presentation.

The drama successfully bridges modern culinary techniques with historical Korean cooking traditions, making the time-slip concept both entertaining and educationally valuable about traditional Korean cuisine.

📌 Bookmark