Busan is good

A Meal Prepared by Busan's Chefs: B-FOOD Introduces "Busan Bansang," a New Dining Experience Showcasing the City's Culinary Heritage

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Chun Jae-soo) announced that it has developed two versions of "Busan Bansang," complete meal sets that bring together Busan's local ingredients and culinary culture, using 72 B-FOOD recipes developed over the past three years.

Since 2023, the city has pursued a B-FOOD recipe development initiative highlighting Busan's ingredients and culinary traditions. A total of 72 recipes have been developed: 23 banquet-style dishes in 2023, 25 traditional Korean meal-set dishes in 2024, and 24 bite-sized dishes in 2025.

This year, rather than developing additional individual recipes, the city has shifted its focus toward making broader practical use of its existing collection. The initiative has expanded to create an authentic Busan dining experience using previously developed recipes and locally sourced ingredients. Its goal is to establish distinctive culinary offerings representing Busan that can be incorporated into restaurants, tourism programs, and other settings.

The theme of B-FOOD in 2026 is "Busan Bansang Prepared by Busan's Chefs." Based on the traditional Korean bansang format, a complete meal served with rice, soup, and side dishes, the new offerings combine Busan's local ingredients with diverse cooking techniques and complementary ingredients to capture the city's natural environment and culinary heritage in a single meal.

Sixteen trainees enrolled in the Korean Cuisine Specialist Course for Chefs at the BCL (Busan Culinary Lab) Academy, a talent development program operated by the Busan Economic Promotion Agency, participated in the initiative. Chefs specializing in Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Western, and other cuisines formed teams to analyze existing B-FOOD recipes and reinterpret them as new meal sets featuring ingredients from Busan.

Beginning in July, the teams developed four proposed Busan Bansang meal sets through menu planning and hands-on cooking sessions. Two were selected for further development. Following tasting and evaluation sessions involving relevant stakeholders in September, the teams refined the flavors, menu compositions, and cooking methods, completing the two final versions of Busan Bansang.

The completed Busan Bansang meal sets will be presented to the public at the Busan International Food Expo, taking place from October 9 to 11.

During the event, visitors will have an opportunity to sample and evaluate the newly developed meal sets, allowing the city to gather public feedback. Based on the evaluation results, the city plans to promote and distribute the recipes for future use in restaurants, tourism-related businesses, and other sectors.

The significance of the Busan Bansang initiative extends beyond the development of new menu items. It transforms the achievements of the B-FOOD project over the past three years into complete, ready-to-serve meals that can be introduced in real-world dining settings.

Cho Gyu-yul, Director General of the Citizens' Health Bureau of Busan Metropolitan City, said, "The B-FOOD recipes developed over the past three years have now evolved into Busan Bansang, allowing residents to experience Busan's culinary heritage more easily through a complete meal."

Cho added, "We will work to ensure that Busan Bansang, which brings together locally sourced ingredients and the creative cooking techniques of Busan's chefs, is widely adopted in restaurants, tourism, and other sectors, establishing itself as a distinctive culinary offering that introduces the flavors of Busan to a broader audience."