Original subtitles

BON APPÉTIT, YOUR MAJESTY

YI HEON KING OF JOSEON

I apologize for the delay.

We shall finally begin the competition.

The theme of the first dish is…

MAENG MAN-SU, EOM BONG-SIK

TANG BAILONG, YA FEIXIU, KONG WENLI

Mu for "nonexistent," yuk for "meat."

It is a meat dish that has never been seen before.

You may begin cooking now.

Let's start making our first dish, spicy galbijjim, braised short ribs.

- Yes. - Yes.

- Let us begin cooking the diced chicken. - Okay.

- Gil-geum. - Yes.

- Cook Sim. - Okay.

What? It's two against one?

Are two people cooking the main dish?

What are they doing?

So this is their plan?

Cook Eom.

- Ya Feixiu. - Yes.

What? The cook for the first round is Ya Feixiu?

What are they thinking?

She's soaking the chicken in salt, vinegar, and honey.

She's tenderizing the meat.

What is she making?

Stir-fried chicken?

Let's focus.

Let's boil the meat.

A mere braised short rib dish?

Did I expect too much of her?

I will start cooking when the meat is seasoned.

When will that be?

In half an hour.

Very well.

- Cook Maeng? - I was done long ago.

The griddle is heated and ready too.

Good.

- Give me the gochugaru, chili powder. - Cook Sim, where is the gochogaru?

Well, you see…

Cook Min is looking for it at Saongwon, Office of Royal Meals.

- What? - He should be here by now.

What…

Here he is.

I have bad news.

Why are you empty-handed?

The gochogaru is gone.

- What? - What?

What are you talking about?

We safely stored it in Saongwon. Where could it have gone?

Did you look everywhere?

Yes. I searched every corner.

The gochojang and gochogaru are all gone.

What on earth is happening? The competition has barely started!

Did you not check beforehand?

It was there just last night.

This can't be.

I'm screwed.

Cook Min, are you sure?

Yes.

There's no time for this.

If we don't have gochugaru,

- we have to change the dish. - What?

How are we to change the dish now?

Let us just braise the short ribs in soy sauce.

That is not a meat dish new to the world.

I must prepare a meat dish they've never seen before.

With short ribs.

A taste that doesn't exist in this era.

Yeah.

That's it.

Everyone, please do as I say.

There's wild grape wine made with rice at Saongwon, right?

- Yes, there is. - Shall I go get it now?

- Yes. Hurry. - Sure.

- And then… - Why do we need that?

I need more than just wild grape rice wine

to create the true flavors of beef bourguignon.

It needs the flavor of bacon.

Cook Eom, please get some pig fat

- and coat the griddle with it. - Okay.

And then…

I also need the aroma of mirepoix too.

Instead of onions, carrots, and celery…

Cook Maeng, please chop the Pyogo mushrooms, radish, and pumpkin.

Okay.

Gil-geum, drain the meat.

Okay.

- Gil-geum, get me a bowl of water. - Okay.

- And drain the water from the pot. - Okay.

This is the best I can do right now.

- Here is the wine. - Good.

- Let's see. - Check it first.

Great.

GRAND PRINCE JESAN SUPERINTENDENT OF SAONGWON

That much?

Pour it all in there.

- All of it? - All of it.

WILD GRAPE RICE WINE

This aroma.

- My gosh. - Goodness.

This is definitely the aroma of wine.

A mixture of rice and wine.

She is cooking meat in wine. What could she be making?

That is very strange.

Instead of adding a dash of wine to get rid of the meat smell,

she is soaking all the meat in it.

- There is still more left? - Yes.

They look anxious.

Whatever it is,

it surely is a meat dish the world has never seen before.

No matter how hard they try, they cannot win.

We will win

because…

I have this.

Here.

What did you just put in?

It's called bouquet garni.

It's a French herb bundle, and I made the Joseon version.

Oh, bucket garly.

We're good. Now we let it simmer.

How long will it take?

An hour?

Half a sijin.

- We'll take turns watching the fire. - Take turns, my foot.

Boiling is my specialty,

so I will make sure it does not burn.

Okay.

What should we call this dish?

It is braised, but…

Since it's a blend of Joseon-style galbijjim

and western cooking techniques…

Maybe beef bourguignon galbijjim braised in wild grape rice wine?

What was that?

She said brabbling galbijjim braised in wild grape rice wine.

COURSE N° 8 RICE WINE BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Cook Yeon, what in the world are you making?

Cooking meat in a pot of wine?

There is a great disparity in skill compared to the Ming cooks.

It looks quite unlikely that she will overpower them and win.

HAN MIN-SEONG CHIEF STATE COUNCILOR

They are doubting the skills of the Joseon cooks.

He says they were no match

for the best cooks of the Ming to begin with.

However,

the true value of a dish is not how it smells

but how it tastes.

Ultimately, it all comes down to the excellence of the taste.

Our cooks

are known to possess the skills of a guksamussang in Joseon.

GUKSAMUSSANG: INDIVIDUAL WHOSE TALENTS ARE UNMATCHED THROUGHOUT THE NATION

I am sure it is as you say.

All the finest ingredients would scarcely suffice,

yet she acts so recklessly.

Look at the Ming cooks.

Their knife skills are extraordinary.

We shall wait and see.

Who knows? The wine-soaked meat could have special qualities.

It's done.

Let's prepare the garnish.

Cook Eom, please steam the pumpkin.

Cook Maeng, please prepare some young greens.

Here you go.

That is heavy.

Okay. We need 30 more minutes.

It'll be done in a quarter of a sijin.

Do we just have to wait now?

Yes, Cook Eom.

Will you check the plates and cutlery in case they are blemished?

Let us start setting the tables.

- Okay. - Okay.

Cook Maeng, can you pass me the milk?

Milk.

Is that pumpkin paste?

It's pumpkin purée.

Oh, hurray.

- Hurray. - Purée.

What is this smell? It is so spicy.

It is a familiar smell that stings the nose.

It can't be.

It does not smell like the typical pepper used in the Ming.

No. There's no way.

- Uncle. - Yes.

What is this oddly familiar spicy smell?

No.

It better not be.

I will go back to setting the tables.

Yes, let us do that.

That liquor looks special too.

What is that?

Is that not the legendary Qufu Family Liquor?

You mean the liquor that is only passed down in the Qufu family?

The Ming cooks in action are truly an impressive sight.

However, I do not think that is a meat dish the world has ever seen.

I do not know what Ya Feixiu is preparing,

but I am sure it is a dish that the world has never seen before.

Not to mention the liquor Kong Wenli has prepared,

which is also one of a kind.

Kong Wenli?

He says he is Confucius' descendant.

Kong Wenli will serve you liquor

you have never tasted before, called Qufu Family Liquor,

to drink on the side.

A one-of-a-kind liquor

served by Confucius' descendant

called Qufu Family Liquor?

He says whatever food Ya Feixiu makes,

it will be a one-of-a-kind liquor that suits a one-of-a-kind dish.

I very much look forward to it.

- Cook Yeon, let me do it. - Oh, thank you.

Please put it on the griddle so I can flambé it.

All right.

FLAMBÉ: ADDING ALCOHOL TO FOOD AND BURNING IT OFF QUICKLY

Cook Maeng, can you put some of the sauce in here?

- By "sauce," you mean the seasoning. - Exactly.

How fascinating.

A dish is completed with the chef's final touch.

On top of the bourguignon with a deep and rich flavor…

puffed rice is added to give it a crunchy texture.

A flower is shaped from cucumbers.

Adding the pumpkin purée on top will add a subtle sweetness.

Then the diced chicken is carefully placed in the middle.

And that completes a meat dish the world has never seen.

Lastly, topping it with fragrant young greens completes the dish.

The time is up.

The cooks are to step away from the stations.

It is time for the tasting.

After you taste the food,

we will provide you with paper, ink, and a brush.

Please rate the other nation's dish, the highest score being ten.

First, you will taste the dish made by the Joseon cooks.

The moment the meat touches my tongue, it disappears as if it is melting away.

It is an incredibly tender dish that I have never tasted before.

What is the name of this dish?

This dish is called

beef bourguignon braised in wild grape rice wine.

It's a traditional French stew dish.

We braised top-shelf short ribs in wild grape rice wine for a long time

to add deep flavor and make it a Joseon-style galbijjim.

"Tough self" galbi?

Beef burgy yawn braised in wild grape rice wine?

He says the meat not only melts in his mouth,

but also has a sweet, fruity aroma.

It is truly delicious.

The deep flavor and aroma of the wild grape rice wine

remain in my mouth, yet I do not taste the wine.

Why is that?

The alcohol in the wine evaporated as the meat simmered.

Not to mention the flambé.

Plum bay?

Oh, it's called "flambé."

You saw how the flames flared up and died down earlier, right?

- That burned the remaining alcohol-- - "Our cool"?

No, so… It got rid of the wine taste.

Impressive indeed.

It has a light and fresh aroma,

and the meat is so tender that it melts in my mouth.

You are incredibly skilled.

I am certain not many cooks in the Ming can make a dish like this.

He says that may be the case.

The natural flavor of the meat

goes well with the delicate aroma of the wild grapes.

It is truly the finest of all delicacies.

Thank you.

He says it is still just galbijjim,

so it does not qualify as a dish the world has never seen.

This is a dish

that doesn't exist in current times.

What does that mean?

It's a home-cooked meal that will come about

a few hundred years from now in the French countryside.

And also,

this is a personal story,

but this dish doesn't exist for me either.

This dish

is something that French mothers prepare for their families.

Whenever I make this dish,

I imagine how it would taste if my late mother

made it for me.

Therefore,

this dish doesn't exist in this era,

and it doesn't exist anywhere else in the world for me as well.

Next, you will taste the dish made by the Ming cooks.

What is this dish?

I made this for the first time today, my lord.

It is made with chicken and nuts, so she named it "gyejeong,"

and it is served with Qufu Family Liquor.

"Gyejeong"?

That food was introduced later in the Qing Dynasty.

What is Kung Pao chicken, a Sichuan dish, doing here?

No way. Is she the creator of gyejeong?

It is pleasantly spicy yet sweet,

and even nutty.

It is very strong.

What is this?

It is extremely moist.

How is that?

I cooked the chicken just enough

that it was cooked all the way through without losing its moisture.

And she says peanuts were added for the nutty flavor.

How did you create this intense spicy flavor?

She said she added a secret sauce to the chicken to make it spicy.

I wonder what that secret sauce is

that gave your dish an intense yet captivating spiciness.

The clean yet rich taste of the Qufu Family Liquor

balances out the spiciness.

I would expect no less of a liquor passed down for generations.

However, in what way is your gyejeong new to the world?

For a long time,

we have been eating a similar dish in Joseon called chicken gangjeong.

I have tasted that dish myself.

However, what I made is different.

She used a red oil called "layu" that the world has never seen before.

A red oil called "layu"?

He says Ya Feixiu, who created a new seasoning called layu,

is the pride of Ming.

He says the silky red and fine-colored layu

is something no one has tasted before.

I'm positive that she made that with our gochu, chili peppers.

Even if she's a genius,

you can't make layu without gochu.

I have bad news.

The gochogaru is all gone.

Did she…

He is suggesting that you make a decision now, Your Majesty.

Let us do that.

Which dish did you find more special?

I am sorry to say I preferred Ya Feixiu's diced chicken

to Joseon's braised short ribs.

Joseon's dish was exceptionally good,

but it is hard to believe that the dish does not exist in this era,

and the story behind it was also too personal.

He says he cannot give a high score to Joseon's galbijjim.

However, the beef burgy yawn braised in wild grape rice wine

was definitely prepared in a way that did not exist until now.

Therefore,

I cannot give a high score

to the Ming's version of chicken gangjeong.

SEVEN

FOUR

I will announce the result of the first round.

Wait, Your Majesty!

What is it?

Before you announce the winner,

please allow me to taste Ming's dish.

He asks what your intention is behind the request.

Ya Feixiu is certainly a great cook,

but I'd like to check something before the final judgment.

How dare you? The judgment is to be made

- by His Majesty and the chief envoy. - Wait.

I apologize, Director Yu.

What is it you wish to check?

- An ingredient, Your Majesty. - An ingredient?

I won't know for sure until I taste Ya Feixiu's dish.

Are you saying she used a banned ingredient?

Please let me taste the food just once.

Please.

He will not allow it!

Uncle, why would you give that to her?

Bailong, what are you doing?

The result of any cooking competition

- comes down to the taste of the food. - He is curious about the Joseon dish

and suggested they taste each other's food.

Bailong, it is not for you to decide. Step back!

Do you not mind that our cooks

may be subjected to mockery by the cooks of this small nation?

Director Yu.

You should sit back down.

The pride of the Ming depends on this.

Please give your permission, my lord.

The cooks from both nations wish to taste each other's food.

As the King of Joseon, I give my permission.

He says he also gives his permission as the chief envoy

of the great nation of Ming.

This taste…

The aroma, color, and taste.

It lacks nothing at all.

This is truly

a perfectly balanced dish.

This is definitely layu made with our gochu.

Where did you get this red oil?

Is it an ingredient you brought?

Ya Feixiu.

- Yes? - Where did you get the red powder?

She says she obtained the ingredient through legitimate means in Joseon.

This is our gochugaru.

The cooks and I picked the gochu and dried them in the sun.

We poured our hearts into making it.

It was a secret ingredient that had a key role to play in the first round.

How did you get your hands on it?

The gochugaru and gochujang

are secret seasonings that will be very important in the competition.

Secret seasoning?

Then is she saying the red oil

was made using gocho?

How did the Ming cook obtain that?

Your Excellency.

We can listen to what the cooks have to say

after we decide on a winner.

Let us make a judgment now.

Director Yu.

For cooks,

ingredients are like a scholar's brush and a warrior's sword.

If this happened to you,

would you let it slide?

Ya Feixiu.

Explain what happened.

Did you steal their ingredient?

Uncle, I did not steal it.

She says she obtained it fairly by exchanging it with huajiao.

Were you aware

that Joseon's chief royal cook was going to use it in the competition?

- Well… - Ya Feixiu!

You did something a cook should never do.

You stole someone else's ingredient,

and you did not tell me about it.

Your conniving trickery

insulted the name of our great nation, as well as this competition.

As a cook, I cannot forgive you for this.

Uncle…

Ya Feixiu did something

a cook should never do.

He says he will admit to the Ming's defeat in the first round of the competition.

Tang Bailong!

Maintain your dignity, Director Yu.

It seems we have a winner.

The cooks you brought

certainly possess unmatched skill.

However, no matter how highly skilled a cook may be,

one must learn

basic human decency first.

Do you not agree?

I appreciate what you said,

but what I want to know is where you got this from.

The outcome of the first round is decided.

You won.

- No, that's not-- - Wait!

I did not lose.

Uncle.

I will prove

that I got the red powder through legitimate means.

Admit your defeat, Ya Feixiu.

- You stole their ingredient. - I did not!

She says she got the gochogaru from Saongwon.

Saongwon?

That's impossible.

The person who gave it to her was…

It is him.

What? Who?

Grand Prince Jesan?

Uncle.

What is she talking about?

The Ming cook says you gave her

the chief royal cook's ingredient without my permission.

Is she telling the truth?

Your Majesty.

With all due respect,

I did not need your permission.

When ingredients are admitted to be used in the royal kitchen,

they are checked, and only the produce cleared by me,

the Superintendent of Saongwon, can be stored.

What are you saying?

I had heard

the chief royal cook was using some red powder and red paste

in the royal kitchen without proper approval.

That is why

I had them all thrown away.

For the health and well-being of the royal family is paramount.

So you did not give it to the Ming cook?

You could say I did. I let her take it.

I did.

She offered to exchange it for some valuable Ming huajiao.

I thought the trade was in our favor,

so I allowed her to take as much as she needed.

Chief Royal Cook, if you had told me in advance,

I would not have thrown it away.

What a shame.

Your Excellency, it seems Grand Prince Jesan has made a mistake.

He says since Ya Feixiu is not at fault, the scores should be announced.

Ya Feixiu.

Do you still not know what you did wrong?

Uncle.

I am innocent!

Even if you obtained the ingredient in a legitimate manner,

you took it knowing the red powder

was Joseon's chief royal cook's secret weapon.

As a result,

she had her ingredient stolen without knowing it.

You do not deserve to be a master cook.

You are unqualified to be one.

This is your last chance.

If you have any pride left as a cook,

admit defeat.

Uncle.

He told her to admit defeat.

Excuse me.

I'm also responsible.

He says he refuses your pity.

No.

I'm at fault too.

I felt wronged that I lost the gochugaru that I'd worked hard to make.

But I'm partly at fault for failing to keep a valuable ingredient safe,

as I lacked the understanding of how things work here.

So please stop.

He thanks you for your considerate words, but claims that the Ming has still lost.

Do you not think

both cooks make a valid point?

The Ming cook received the ingredient from the Superintendent of Saongwon,

so she is not to blame.

Joseon's chief royal cook

had the ingredient she prepared stolen from her,

so she has the right to feel wronged.

That is right. Moreover, the Ming's Chief Royal Cook Tang Bailong

has expressed that they have lost regardless of the outcome.

That is right.

Even if you announce the Ming's victory,

the Ming cooks will not accept that result.

Even if you rule in Joseon's favor,

it will do nothing to console their hurt feelings.

However,

we cannot annul the result right from the first round.

The cooks' pride and the scores are separate matters.

Therefore, the scores should be revealed.

Yes, that is right.

I can make no excuse for what happened.

Your Majesty.

I suggest you make the judgment.

In that case,

I shall annul the result

and call it a tie.

Your Excellency.

You cannot call it a tie when we won.

What do you mean you won?

The scores were not yet revealed.

He says he is sure the Ming won.

Let us do this.

In return for annulling today's result…

I will suggest something in Ming's favor.

Very well.

As this round proves too close to determine the winner,

it is a tie.

However,

it is true that the Ming came slightly ahead in this round,

as the cook developed a new sauce called layu.

Nevertheless, since it was made with an ingredient from Joseon,

this round will be considered a tie

with the grace of the King of Joseon.

In the upcoming rounds,

both sides must ensure nothing disgraceful happens again due to ingredients.

And if all three rounds end in a tie…

it will be considered the Ming's victory.

The Ming gets an advantage?

Does that mean I just lost?

There's no way.

The second round

will be held here tomorrow at the same time.

Be well prepared.

- Yes, Your Majesty. - Yes, Your Excellency.

- Wait. - Goodness, that scared me.

Do you have more to say?

What is it?

She says she wants to apologize to the chief royal cook.

What's this? She's really apologizing?

Not everyone admits to their mistakes.

Now you are acting like a cook of a great nation.

Through this round,

I learned the attitude and mindset a cook should have

toward their ingredients.

Thank you.

She thanks you for the lesson.

I also

learned that I should take better care…

of my ingredients, thanks to you.

She says you will learn even more tomorrow since you will be up against her uncle.

I have nothing more to learn,

because I'll win tomorrow.

See you tomorrow, Chief Royal Cook.

This is driving me nuts.

I spoke confidently earlier, but what am I going to do about tomorrow?

How could the Superintendent do that?

Where did all the gochogaru go?

We picked them until our fingers bled and dried them until we wept,

and he just gave them all away.

We cannot lose tomorrow.

Even if it is a tie until the last round, that is still our defeat.

My goodness.

What is important is that we did not lose today.

That's enough, everyone.

Tomorrow's round is important,

and we don't have any gochugaru.

Goodness me.

All right.

First,

I'll explain tomorrow's dish.

- Gil-geum. - Yes.

Do you all remember this laziji dish?

Yes. Spicy stir-fried duck.

Will we still manage without the gochogaru?

Would not dongpo pork be a better choice if we want to trample on their pride?

What about clam and lotus root soup?

That is one of the Ming's three great dishes.

No. We'll stick to what we prepared.

But instead of spicy duck laziji,

we're going to make Peking duck.

Peking duck.

During a diplomatic conference between the US and China in the 1970s,

this iconic dish is said to have broken the tension in an instant.

- What? - Peking?

- Peking? - Is that also a Ming dish?

I have never heard of it.

It's an imperial dish that has been enjoyed

by the Ming imperial court for many years.

Is that not just a plain roasted duck?

Yes, it's a roast dish.

But it's not just any roasted duck.

The key is to blow in air to separate the skin from the meat,

and it really isn't easy to get the crispy texture on the skin.

Do you really think that dish will captivate the chief envoy?

The chief envoy is someone closely related to the imperial court.

He'll focus on how much care and effort went into utilizing

traditional cooking techniques and the harmony of flavors.

That's why the Peking duck, an imperial dish, is the best choice.

The only way to salvage the dried duck without gochugaru

is to make Peking duck.

First, you must learn about the hanging roasting method we'll be using.

The Joseon cooks

- were much more impressive - The duck…

- than I thought. - Look.

Especially the chief royal cook.

A warrior's sword takes lives,

and a cook's knife gives life.

She is a true master.

It seems we have greatly underestimated them.

We must win tomorrow.

Are all the ingredients prepared?

Yes, Brother Tang.

The Ming cooks were great,

but the galbijjim was truly remarkable.

I agree.

The talents of the cooks were truly tempting.

It was a full day of good food and good entertainment.

My goodness.

The moon is especially bright tonight.

It is bright indeed.

- Oh goodness. - What?

Your Highness.

Please come with me.

His Majesty wishes to see you.

Me?

Uncle!

What were you thinking?

You knew of the competition with the Ming,

yet you discarded the chief royal cook's ingredient at your own discretion?

Your Majesty.

I sincerely apologize for my usual carelessness and incompetence.

However, as I explained earlier,

I did what I did for the sake of the royal family.

I never imagined that it would

affect the outcome of the competition.

Tell me.

Did you truly dispose of all the gocho?

I gave some to the Ming cook,

and the rest are in the storage.

Chief Royal Secretary!

Retrieve the gochogaru from his residence and return it to the chief royal cook.

Yes, Your Majesty. I will do as you command.

A tie?

Yes, Your Royal Highness.

In the event that the remaining rounds also end in a tie,

the Ming will be ruled the victor.

Is that not a disadvantage to us?

If His Majesty suggested such a disadvantageous condition…

The chief royal cook must have lost the first round.

However, the first round concluded this way

because Grand Prince Jesan gave the chief royal cook's ingredient

to a Ming cook by mistake.

What?

Grand Prince Jesan took the chief royal cook's ingredient?

How could that be called a mistake?

As he is the Superintendent of Saongwon,

he must be related to this matter in some way.

What could he stand to gain by discarding the chief royal cook's ingredient?

So I hear today's round ended in a tie.

Yes, Your Grace.

I summoned you to confirm our agreement.

I am sure you remember.

We must lose at all costs tomorrow.

However, Your Grace,

I heard winning this competition could bring Joseon a great profit.

Since when have you concerned yourself with the matters of the state?

I apologize, Your Grace.

Your mother resides in Jecheon County, does she not?

Your Grace, how did you…

HUIJEONGDANG SECOND ROUND OF THE COMPETITION

It is time to begin

the second round of the competition between Joseon and the Ming.

Today's theme is

ji for "know," yeok for "change."

You must cook a dish from each other's country.

You may begin cooking now.

Let's start making our second dish, Peking duck.

- Yes. - Okay.

Use this and this. Let us begin.

- Yes. - Yes.

What's that smell?

My gosh. It smells lovely.

This is not the time to be marveling at that.

Where did they get such a massive lotus flower?

It is overwhelmingly big.

If my guess is right,

that big a lotus flower…

That is a golden lotus.

A golden lotus?

He asks if you have not seen one before.

It is surprising that a lotus flower that big and yellow exists.

It is also known as the Emperor's lotus due to its golden color.

Okay. We'll start by hanging the ducks to roast.

- Okay. - Okay.

- Cook Maeng, please bring this over too. - Very well.

Duck?

Is that the Northern Capital roast duck?

Is that the fare of the Northern Capital?

It is a dish even the best Ming cooks would not dare to make.

I wonder if it will even taste right.

He is doubting the chief royal cook's skill.

Since my chief royal cook prepared it,

it will not be any ordinary roasted duck.

Roasting by hanging.

Must we do this when it is not even a whole pig?

What if the meat overcooks and becomes tough?

The strong heat will cook it slowly, so the fat will get completely drained,

making the skin crispy and the meat tender.

I hope that is the case.

Cook Maeng, please chop the vegetables.

Cook Eom, please cook the glutinous rice.

- Okay. - Okay.

- Cook Sim, pass me the glutinous rice. - Cook Min.

- Gil-geum. - Yes?

- Here you go. - Thank you.

Here we go.

Okay.

The skin is unbelievably shiny and golden.

Pouring oil over it like this hardens the skin

- and makes it what again? - Crispy.

That's right.

Let me try. Give it to me.

Thank you.

The knife work is important.

It's a stir-fried dish, but before the meat meets the sauce,

the skin and meat must be thin and evenly sliced

for maximum flavor.

Cook Eom, have a go.

My gosh.

I even cut the bones.

You are crushing the whole thing.

- I forgot how to start. - Cook Maeng.

Can you do it yourself, Chief Royal Cook?

Is this not good enough?

Gil-geum, you're good at this.

We must lose at all costs tomorrow.

If you disobey me again this time,

I cannot guarantee your mother's safety.

Do you understand?

This is the last chance I am giving you.

Oh my!

- Oh no. - Blood!

- Stop the bleeding first! - Oh dear.

- Gil-geum! - Yes.

You should have been careful!

- Press on it. - This is not like you.

- My goodness, how did this happen? - What happened?

You rarely make a mistake.

You must have been too nervous.

Goodness me. Stop the bleeding.

- Okay. - Press it.

There's no time. I'll do it.

What an outrageous sight.

They cannot even handle a knife.

He says that the Joseon cooks lack basic skills.

Basic skills?

You get ink on your hands when you first learn to write,

and you are bound to hurt yourself when cooking.

Since we saw blood,

it seems that the duck dish will turn out very well.

Of course.

If that is what Your Excellency thinks, who am I to object?

I will do it.

- Goodness, give it to me. - I will just do it.

- Just give it to me. - Let go!

How can you do it when I cannot do it?

- We have no choice. I'll just do it. - There is no time.

Be careful.

Can you manage with your sore hand?

My goodness, miss.

You cannot cut anything with that hand.

This will not do.

I will try it.

What are you talking about?

- Not even we-- - Wait.

Are you sure, Gil-geum?

Trust me this once.

If I try and fail, you can do it then.

Okay. You do it, Gil-geum.

Okay.

It looks like they have given up on this round.

Maid Seo, take over the knife work in the competition.

What do you mean?

You have talent.

I will teach you, so learn how to use a knife.

We will remove the skin from the meat.

Hold the end gently.

Do not use too much force.

Remove the skin only. Just the skin.

That is it.

Do not let it tear.

Next, the scraping.

Stay calm. You are almost there.

Yes. That is exactly it.

Stay calm and focus until the end.

Well done, Gil-geum.

My legs were shaking so much.

I do not know how I managed.

No, it's fine. You did really well.

Well done, Maid Seo.

And thank you.

You should have stepped up sooner.

Indeed. That was great.

Cook Maeng, I saw that Gil-geum's hand became a mess.

What happened yesterday?

I am sorry.

For what?

You will lose this competition

because of me.

What?

Will you explain so that I can understand?

I must withdraw from the competition, but I cannot do so.

Are you being threatened?

Is it the Ming?

You are.

It's that sleazy envoy, isn't it?

Do not ask any further.

Is it Kang Mok-ju?

No, it is not her.

Peking duck tastes best when sliced well,

and a competition is more entertaining when there's a twist.

A layer of chewy glutinous rice

is placed on top of the flattened and scraped duck skin.

Mixed grains rice, ginkgo nuts, and pumpkin

are placed on the lotus leaf.

Onto that goes the sliced cucumber and green onion for a refreshing taste.

It is then wrapped to trap the aroma.

That's rolled up and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Thus becomes a golden lotus leaf wrap.

It's garnished with taro mousse

and served with majiang sauce.

To complete the dish,

it is served with five-colored lotus roots and refreshing radish.

And that completes the Peking duck rolls.

The dishes from both sides are complete.

The cooks are to step away from the stations.

First, we will taste the dish made by the Ming cook, Tang Bailong.

It is truly impressive that he captured the deep flavors of Joseon in such a way.

The subtle but elegant aroma.

The deep and elegant flavor

subtly yet consistently draws me in.

Is this truly the taste of Joseon?

One mouthful

makes me feel as if I am being covered by a lotus flower.

How did you create

the five colors in the braised lotus root?

This is a temple dish

in which various vegetables of Joseon are wrapped

and cooked in golden lotus leaves.

As for the five colors,

the red comes from omija, and it represents benevolence.

The yellow comes from gardenia, and it represents righteousness.

The green comes from mulberry leaves, and it represents propriety.

The black comes from soy sauce, and it represents wisdom.

VINEGAR

Lastly, the white, representing sincerity,

is the natural color of the lotus root pickled in vinegar.

I see.

Bailong.

When did you learn how to cook Joseon temple fare?

There was a time…

when I wandered the lands in search of the ultimate taste.

However, I could not find such a taste

and was plagued by torment.

Back then…

10 YEARS AGO

This cannot be the pulse of a living man.

Homage to the Amitabha Buddha.

You should eat.

At least have some mallow soup.

It is light enough to just drink.

This is the most delicious soup

I have ever tasted in my life.

What is used to make this soup?

You are not from Joseon.

Please teach me,

Venerable.

In order to find the ultimate taste,

I traveled to many temples all around Joseon.

The meal served before you

consists of the dishes I learned from the venerable monk who saved my life.

Are you saying you learned how to cook in Joseon?

Yes.

I spent around five years in Joseon.

Why did you hide the fact that you could speak the Joseon language?

He says he never hid it, and that the Director simply never asked.

The rice wrapped in the lotus leaf shows great wisdom

as well as depth.

He says the rice is soft and sticky,

and the root is crunchy, yet chewy and tender.

He says he appreciates the harmony of the taste and aroma

sealed into each lotus root.

I am in awe of this food.

The result is as clear as day.

That is right.

What a touching story.

This round won't be easy.

Although what happened with the gochugaru was made right

thanks to his great character,

I don't want to lose either.

Now, it is the Joseon cooks' turn.

Those from the royal kitchen, step forward.

Now, we will taste the dish made by the Joseon cooks.

What is this dish called?

This is Peking duck.

It's an ancient dish from the Central Plains,

often enjoyed by the imperial court.

You can eat the pieces of skin sprinkled with sugar as is,

and the rolls are to be dipped in the majiang, a sesame-based sauce.

Northern Capital roast duck, you say?

He is mocking you,

saying it might be easy to make, but it is hard to make it taste right.

A crispy and clean taste with just the right amount of greasiness.

And what is this sweet flavor that comes through?

No. It is not just sugar.

There is more to it.

This is not the roast duck I had in the imperial court.

It is a completely new taste.

What is more surprising

is that the duck does not at all smell gamey or earthy.

The majiang sauce

enhances the nutty and sweet flavor,

and it goes well with the unique, clean taste of the roast duck

that it feels as if all three flavors flood my mouth at once.

The skin is crispy, the meat is moist,

and together with the shredded green onion and cucumber,

they create a perfect harmony.

This dish…

It is…

- The greatest taste on the land. - The greatest taste on the land.

What is the sweetness infused into the skin

of the roast duck you made?

It's pumpkin.

It is a cooking method I have never heard of before.

To think that you managed to infuse the flavor of pumpkin into the skin,

as expected, you surely are no ordinary cook.

How can duck meat be so unbelievably juicy?

You indeed have the skill befitting a gwinyeo.

This concludes the tasting of the second round,

and the evaluation will follow.

I will announce the scores for the second round.

BON APPÉTIT, YOUR MAJESTY

It was my mistake

to risk the future of the nation on a cooking competition.

No.

Even if we lose, we should do our best until the very end.

What if the lid does not arrive in time?

We'll go with Plan B.

This is our opportunity.

If it means we can eliminate the chief royal cook

and make His Majesty explode with fury.

What I say is of the utmost secrecy.

Treachery.

It cannot be.

You want the chief royal cook as a tribute woman?

Subtitle translation by: Jennifer Jean Lim