Food is essential for sustenance and reflects a country’s identity, making it crucial to identify the cultural needs for effectively localizing Korean food. This study surveyed 825 adults from four continents (eight countries) to examine their preferences, familiarity, and attitudes toward Korean food. Significant correlations(p< .001) were found between the familiarity and preference for Korean food, with variations observed across continents. Among the representative Korean food items, the average preference score was 4.67, and the purchase/recommendation intention score was 4.88. Seven items received above-average ratings (e.g., gogi-deopbap and kimchi-bokkeumbap), while some items showed high liking but low purchase/recommendation intention (e.g. dak-jjim and galbi-jjim). In addition, items such as gimbap and tteokbokki had high purchase/recommendation intention but low liking, and kimchi and vegetable foods etc. received low liking and purchase/recommendation intentions. In terms of the preferred meat according to the cooking method and seasoning, beef respondents preferred grilled · stir-fried and soup·stew·hot pot cooking methods, while pork or chicken respondents preferred grilled · stir-fried and frying methods. Soy sauce was the most preferred seasoning for all meat responses, followed by red pepper paste. These research findings provide fundamental data for developing Korean food products, segmented by continent.

This study was conducted to select representative agricultural products (4 types of fruits and 4 types of wild vegetables) in Chungju, define their sensual characteristics, derive suitable flavour-pairing and recipes for each ingredient, and use them as a cornerstone in the development of menus. For the experiment, 10 experts were selected to choose 8 representative agricultural products in Chungju, and 18 menus were selected through a flavour-pairing survey. A consumer panel (a total of 413 people, 105 in their 20s, 103 in their 30s, 103 in their 40s, and 102 in their 50s) for evaluating the characteristics of consumer preferences was selected. After the flavour-pairing survey ‘sweet taste’, ‘light flavour’, ‘soft flavour’, ‘savoury flavour’, ‘familiar flavour’, ‘harmonious flavour’, ‘softness’, and ‘harmoniousness with food ingredients’ were determined as drivers of liking, on the other hand, ‘disturbance with food ingredients’ and ‘soybean fishy smell’ were determined as drivers of disliking. The degree of consumer preference and overall acceptance were found to be related to the consumers' familiarity, suggesting that if a menu should be developed using unfamiliar local agricultural products, it should be configured with familiar recipes and seasoning methods.

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in serving frequency of elementary school meal before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Number of menus provided in June and July of 2019 and 2020 were compared for 300 elementary schools in Korea. As a result, the serving frequency of la carte and dessert was increased after COVID-19. In addition, frequencies of main dishes such as pork cutlet, chicken, sweet and sour pork, hamburger steak, and so on using processed food were increased after COVID-19. Because of the longer serving time due to staggered serving, cook's working time for serving meals became longer. Therefore, it was judged that the number of servings of processed food was increased rather than the menu with a large amount of preprocessing work. Moreover, among desserts, fruits showed increased serving frequency. Serving frequencies for juice and dairy products were also increased. However, increased servings of juice and dairy products could increase sugar intake. Thus, a careful plan for menu composition is needed to provide balanced nutrients to students under emergency situations such as an infectious disease.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the sensory properties and consumer preference of Korean menu for different cooking water. Mineral water (MW) and bottled water (BW) were used as cooking water. Sensory attributes were derived by qualitative evaluation, and preference tests were conducted using the duo-trio test and 9 point likert scale. Mechanic properties were also evaluated. For the sensory attribute, properties such as tough, greasy, glossy, salty were derived when cooked with MW. For consumer preference, overall taste, aftertaste, and degree of sticky of bap were significantly higher in MW than in BW (p<0.05). The preference for the rich flavor of sagol broth (p<0.05) was significantly higher in MW than in BW. Preference for taste and flavor of omija-hwachae was higher than BW (p<0.01). In the mechanical properties test, food material boiled with MW showed higher property for cohesiveness and gumminess (p<0.05). In conclusion, cooking water with high calcium and magnesium content has been evaluated to enhance the palatability of Korean menus such as bap and sagol broth, and thus it is considered that various Korean menus can be applied. This suggests that dietary calcium and magnesium intake can be increased by using cooking water with a high calcium and magnesium content.

Tis study was an attempt to systematically analyze the characteristics of modern Korean food styling using the menu image photos of the Michelin Guide Seoul 2020 restaurants. The first sampling was conducted on the 27th of March 2020 and the second on the 27th of October 2020. A collection of images on the web and 442 photographic cases obtained by a search through theoretical background literature and research papers were studied by a qualitative analysis method. First, the food styling contents were analyzed and based on that, the food styling characteristics of the menus of 11 restaurants in Korea including the contemporary restaurants were considered. The analysis revealed several aspects of Korean food styling. First, food styling appeared to have three major characteristics: color, shape, and container styling. Color styling was further subdivided into single color/similar color, color contrast, source type, and accent color type. The shape/formative styling was classified into figure type, shape type, accessory type, and garnish type, and container styling was categorized as container color type, container shape type, and container material type. Second, the modern Korean food color styling characteristics of Michelin restaurants were categorized in the order of monochromatic/similar type, sauce type, accent color type, and color contrast. In the formative styling category, it was categorized in the order of shape type, small piece type, garnish/garnish type, and figure type. In container styling, container material type and formative type accounted for the major portion of the category. The food styling characteristics of the modern Korean menu were systematized and image examples were presented visually. Please use it as food styling educational material or personal food styling skill.

The purpose of this study is an application of Lee’s Menu Engineering (LME) method for menu analysis on the eight kinds of pizza selected from 17 kinds of pizza served by an Italian restaurant near by the Keimyung College University campus. The eliminated nine items were in the third quadrant or below the trend line. The LME method is more efficient than generally used methods such as the Miller, Kasavana & Smith, Uman, Pavesic and Merricks & Jones method. The LME method comprises reference lines and four quadrants created by x, y axes and its average values. The x and y axes comprise the sales ratio (MM%, percentage of the Menu Mix) and the weighted contribution margin (WCM%, percentage of the Weighted Contribution Margin) respectively. The obtained results are such that total sales increased by 1.59% from 58,747,200 won to 59,684,000 won, despite the decrease in sales volume. Total contribution margin also increased from 35,248,320 won to 35,810,400 won. The trend line also shows from y=0.9147x (R2=0.703) to y=0.9944x (R2=0.9893). These results indicate that the LME method is superior in practical applications.

The Korean buffet restaurant, which was developed by combining the Korean food and a buffet, allows a large menu to be enjoyed at a reasonable price and has become popular with men and women, young and old, and become a new type of eating out. This study examined the effects of the waiting time management and menu quality on the customer satisfaction and re-visit intention in a Korean buffet restaurant to help quality improvement and development of Korean buffet restaurants. The customer satisfaction and re-visit intention only had a significant effect on the staff attitude toward waiting time. Hygiene, sensory factor, and variety of menu quality were significantly related to customer satisfaction and revisit intention, respectively. In addition, satisfaction with food and service had a significant effect on the re-visit intention and customer satisfaction. Therefore, it is important to establish a virtuous cycle structure that will improve the re-visit intention by satisfying customers through waiting time management and menu quality for the development of Korean buffet restaurants.

This study investigated the correlation between consumer’s buying habits and food styling visual elements. Differentiated and original techniques were used to determine whether or not visual elements in tteok menus reflect the aesthetic needs of consumers without altering the nutrition of tteok. The targeted tteok cafes were in Jeonju Hanok Village, which is a tourist attraction in Korea. First, sub-factors of food styling visual elements applied to tteok café menus such as shape, size/volume, color, and texture all had significantly positive effects on customer satisfaction, proving that food styling visual effects applied to tteok café menus have significant effects on customer satisfaction. Second, sub-factors of food styling visual elements applied to tteok café menus all had significantly positive effects on buying habits. Third, customer satisfaction of menus had a significant effect on buying habits, as proven by previous studies. Fourth, the effects of customer satisfaction on the relationship between food styling visual factors applied to tteok café menus and buying habits were investigated.

This study aimed to identify the effects of health-related menu choice attributes on customer behavioral intentions at wellbeing restaurants and analyze the moderating effects of food involvement and trust, which can influence customer preference and their intentions to visit well-being restaurants. This study designed a survey, and 351 respondents who have eaten at well-being restaurants completed the questionnaire. Exploratory factor analyses were conducted to identify underlying dimensions related to health-related menu choice attributes, food involvement, and customer behavioral intentions toward well-being restaurants. The three factors regarding health-related menu choice attributes and the three factors related to food involvement were identified. In order to test the relationships between health-related menu choice attributes and behavioral intentions as well as to investigate the moderating effects of food involvement and trust, hierarchical regression analyses were conducted. Results indicated that the three factors of health-related menu choice attributes were significantly and positively related to behavioral intentions. Among food involvement factors, dining environment and cooking were significantly related to behavioral intentions toward well-being restaurants. Trust had a significant influence on behavioral intentions. Results showed that food involvement and trust could moderate the effects of health-related menu choice attributes on behavioral intentions toward well-being restaurants.