Naksunjae, Changdeokgung Palace
(Copyright: KOREACULTURAL HERITAGE ADMINISTRATION)
The cuisine of the royal Joseon Dynasty
Indulge yourself in the classic taste of the royals' cuisine
Hanjeongsik (한정식, Korean Table d'hote) is a modified style of the traditional table setting where all the foods are served on one table. In the Korean dictionary, the word ‘Jeongshik or set meal' is defined as 'regular food sold at a fixed price in a restaurant' or 'food eaten as a meal in a restaurant.
Hanjeongshik is believed to originate from Bansang, a type of food served on a table in a formal manner. The word ‘Ban’ means nobleman during the Joseon Dynasty. Hanjeongsik typically consists of light appetizers, grain-based staples, side dishes, and desserts.
Korean Table d'hote
The table setting of a Hanjeongsik (한정식, Korean Table d'hote) is based on rice, soup, kimchi, stew, and side dishes excluding soy sauce and vinegar sauce, and includes raw vegetables, boiled vegetables, grilled foods, braised foods, currents, berries, dried dishes, salted seafood, raw fish, cold cuts, etc.
Hanjeongshik is named as 3-cheop, 5-cheop, 7-cheop, 9-cheop, and 12-cheop according to number of side dishes or the foods that accompany rice.
© Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine