Winners Announced in the 3rd Jongga Kimchi Cookoff with $20,000.00 in Prizes Awarded

The Kimchi Cookoff 2022: the only place you could engage in a fierce cooking competition, participate in the Halloween spirit and witness the unity of people from diverse cultural backgrounds. We filled the Hestan Kitchen with great conversations and endless laughter. While spectators brought home the best of memories, our finalists brought home the honor and pride of participating in this globally recognized event! We are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2022 Kimchi Cookoff:

In FIRST place: Christopher Edwards, who presented Kimchicken and Waffles with fried Kimatoes. Christopher made an incredible comeback this year with his delectable dish that truly impressed all the judges. He brought his experience from 2021 and added his energy and enthusiasm to the competition this year! Christopher was awarded $6,000 and is our honorary comeback king!

In SECOND place: Aron Atallah presented Kimchi Crusted White Fish with Cripsy Kimchi Risotto to the judges, which had an impressive combination of flavors and textures. Aron is taking home $4000 and the pride of creating a crowd favorite.

In THIRD PLACE: Ye Ji Hong created the uniquely crafted Arancini Kimchi Carbonara, a twist on Sicilian staple food. She flew home with an incredible experience to share with her instructors at CIA, New York. Ye Ji Hong and her delicious dish were awarded $3,000.

The Jongga Award was presented to Lazaro Rosas, who quickly caught the attention of the Daesang President and representatives who wanted to recognize his culinary craft and unique integration of kimchi into a fusion dish representing the beautiful blend of two cultures.

The following contestants tied for fourth place. They are recognized for their culinary creativity and bold uses of kimchi: Suzi Kim, Minki Kim, and Minh Nguyen.

We applaud all participating contestants for taking risks, sharing their talents with others, and being true inspirations.

We are so impressed by all the creative costumes and appreciated making memories with everyone in attendance. Want to be a winner in your own way? Upload your pictures to your Instagram account from the event with the hashtags: #kimchicookoff2022 by Friday, November 18th, and we will pick a winner with the most likes by midnight, November 21st (PST), for a surprise prize!