'Food is art and holistic medicinal science.'
…One reads on an inscription at the Sandang restaurant in Korea, established by the world-famous, late chef Im Ji-ho. So, how could the documentary The Wandering Chef (방랑 식객 108접시 - 'The Wandering Chef - 108 plates') not unfold in the very same spirit, as the food that Ji-ho prepared in the form of a proper ritual?
I had the great luck of following chef Im’s incredible journey thanks to the screening of the documentary 'The Wandering Chef' at the French Institute of Greece a few years ago (January 2020) under the auspices of CineDoc Festival and the Korean Embassy in Greece. Regarding the special protagonist of its story, Im Jiho (임지호) first learned everything about medicinal plants from his parents. These roots naturally led him later to run his own restaurant and to take an active part in endeavours to bring Korean cuisine into the spotlight from a holistic perspective. Showing that food is not just a means for our body to get the nutrients it needs, but it can also have a green and sustainable dimension through using local plants and methods that are accessible to all, Sandang Restaurant keeps reflecting chef Im's worldview on healthy eating and healing through food.
Throughout the entire documentary, we are not just spectators but are transformed into true companions of Im Ji-ho during his decades-long journey across the mountains of Korea in search of cooking ingredients. His preference for unusual ingredients, such as wild herbs or even moss, reflects not only his determination to reinvent what we cook and what we eat but also his unshakeable will to really listen to what mother nature has to whisper to us. Along the way, Im Ji-ho cooks for the elderly residents he meets and forms bonds with them that go beyond the span of a lifetime. When a dear friend of his dies, the chef undertakes the titanian task of preparing a 108-course meal in her honour.
As the journey progresses, however, we become aware of another, deeper dimension to it when chef Im starts sharing his heartrending family story of abandonment that marked him. This is something that gives Park Hye-ryeong, the director of the documentary, the chance to cast light on the issue of family ties. Through her sensitive lens and as she follows the unique experiences of Im Ji-ho step by step, we realize that food can become a one-of-a-kind means of communication that teaches us how to channel and share our feelings. As a mirror of our deepest, unfulfilled desires, something as seemingly simple as a bowl of food can evoke strong memories of the past or become the yeast for new, unique bonds of affection. This is undoubtedly proven by ‘The Wandering Chef’ in a way that speaks directly to the heart and gives invaluable lessons on humanity.
*'The Wandering Chef' has also been screened by the Korean Embassy in Greece as part of the ‘Online Korea Week Program’. Heartfelt thanks yet again to the then Korean Ambassador in Greece, Mr. Lim Soo-suk, for this great initiative.
Bonus: Feast your eyes on the Instagram account of Sandang Restaurant!🌿
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