Upscale Korean food cooking is about using less spice and adding more swank to traditional dishes. The Korean government is investing significant funds to popularize Korean food in North America, with a big conference on the top being held at the University of Toronto on June 10.
This may seem unnecessary in a city that already enjoys Koreatown, the delicious strip of Bloor Street where kimchi and bulgogi are more common than burgers and fries. Yet it is upscale Korean food that is in need of promotion in Toronto, and this is a different animal. Los Angeles is known for its excellent up-market Korean restaurants, but these have yet to catch on in Toronto. At upscale Korean restaurants, not only is the environment high class but the food has also been re-imagined to be more health-conscious and also snazzier. For example, the wasabi salad may feature crunchy strips of Asian pear, carrot, lettuce, and cucumber among other healthy ingredients.