Our journey begins in Seoul, where ancient palace walls rise against flashing neon signs and the past and present meet at every turn. After checking into Hotel Nostalgia, a constellation of small two-bedroom houses in traditional Joseon-era hanok architectural style set in a green, quiet neighborhood full of historic sites, we’ll gather for a welcome dinner at Dalmaji Square Barbecue, a beloved spot famed for its cult-following Korean fried chicken, local atmosphere, and casual charm. It’s the kind of place where the first meal sets the tone: lively, flavorful, and unmistakably Seoul.

The day begins at Noryangjin Seafood Market, Seoul’s legendary fish market, alive with the clamor of morning auctions and stalls stacked high with everything from live octopus to king crab. We’ll wander the market’s maze of vendors, watch the bidding, and join locals for a typical breakfast, tasting seafood at its freshest. In the afternoon, we move from sea to land at Majang Butcher’s Market, Korea’s largest meat market. Here, dinner awaits at Born & Bred, an intimate seven-seat omakase tucked behind the market stalls. Chef Jung Sang-won, who grew up in Majang and still works alongside his father’s butcher shop, brings unmatched knowledge of beef to the table. His bold, precise menu exclusively features six- to seven-year-old female Hanwoo cattle, prized for their depth of flavor. Dishes might include diamond-cut top blade grilled at your seat or sirloin just seared and paired with pickled mustard seeds. Today is surf and turf at its most intense, a perfect snapshot of Korea’s appetite in balance.

The morning begins at Gyeongdong Market, a vibrant maze of produce stalls, herbs, and traditional Korean medicine shops. Famous for its ginseng, spices, and healing ingredients, it’s a window into everyday Korean life and the roots of its cuisine. From there, we roll up our sleeves for a hands-on cooking class and a deep dive into jang, the essential family of fermented sauces like soy sauce (ganjang), fermented soybean paste (doenjang), and fermented chili paste (gochujang) that give Korean food its depth and soul. The focus here is on approachable recipes that guests can easily replicate at home, connecting traditional flavors to modern kitchens. After some free time in the afternoon, we meet again at Gwangjang Market for a night market culinary tour, a lively exploration of Seoul’s street food scene in search of the perfect bindaetteok (mung bean pancake) and other local favorites that keep the city buzzing after dark.

Every household in Korea has its own kimchi, a recipe passed down and remade each season. Today we explore Korea’s fermentation traditions through clay, rice, and time. After lunch, we travel to Yeoju to visit a master onggi pottery workshop, where the traditional clay vessels used to ferment kimchi and jang are made. We’ll see the kiln, meet the artisan, and learn how these pots help shape flavor through earth and air. From there, we visit Jungwangdung, a fourth-generation makgeolli brewery run by a father-son team. We’ll follow the brewing process into the nurukbang, the fermentation room, before tasting the brewery’s signature yakju, a clear fermented rice wine; takju, the cloudy, unfiltered brew that serves as its base; and two types of soju distilled from yakju. The tasting comes with traditional Korean sweets, including gaeseong juak, yakgwa, and yaksik, each offering its own glimpse into the craft of rice, honey, spice, and fermentation. Dinner takes us to a local mandu master, where dumplings are shaped to order and served with beef broth noodle soup and brisket.

After tracing the vessels and flavors of fermentation, today we turn to Korea’s most iconic ferment: kimchi. We begin at the Kimchi Museum, where exhibits explore the history, regional variations, and cultural significance of this essential dish. After a quick lunch, we continue to the home and workshop of Grand Master Lee Ha-yeon for an intimate kimchi masterclass. Under Master Lee’s guidance, we’ll take part in a detailed, hands-on workshop focused on classic napa cabbage kimchi, learning the careful balance of salt, spice, seasoning, and time. She will also demonstrate four additional varieties, offering a deeper look at the range and rhythm of kimchi-making. The experience ends with a generous shared meal prepared by Master Lee and her team, a feast that captures Korean hospitality and the quiet precision of a lifetime devoted to this craft.

We spend the day immersed in the quiet rhythm of temple life, discovering how food, mindfulness, and nature come together in Korean Buddhist cooking.

At Beopryunsa Temple, we join the Venerable Deokjin, a monk and certified master of temple cuisine, for a full-day experience rooted in balance, seasonality, and gratitude. While the exact menu is still to be confirmed, the cooking session and lunch will be plant-based and grounded in the Korean Buddhist temple cuisine tradition. Together, we learn about the philosophy behind temple food, where ingredients are treated with care and nothing is excessive or wasted. We then prepare and share a meal that reflects the spirit of harmony at the heart of this culinary tradition before returning to Seoul in the late afternoon.

Our final day in Seoul moves gently, giving you time to explore a neighborhood you loved or pick up last-minute gifts. That evening, we come together for a private farewell dinner at 7th Door, a Michelin-starred modern Korean restaurant known for its inventive use of fermentation and aging. With only 14 seats wrapped around the chef’s counter, it’s an intimate, quietly spectacular place to close out the week and share one last meal before we say goodbye.

Depart for home or extend your stay in Korea. Until the next adventure!