Jongga Kimchi Cook Off 2026

For those passionate about cooking with kimchi or eager to explore culinary creativity, the Kimchi Cook Off presents an ideal platform to showcase your culinary skills. Participants are tasked with crafting innovative recipes that celebrate the essence of this traditional Korean dish. This year, the competition is taking on an international dimension! The grand winner will have the honour of travelling to South Korea in November to represent the UK, alongside the other winners of the international culinary competitions. All travel expenses - including airfare, accommodation, and meals - will be fully covered by the organizers. 

People have enjoyed kimchi in Korea for over 1000 years, and this versatile dish combines five key Korean flavours: sour, bitter, salty, sweet and spicy. The version of kimchi people may be most familiar with is made using cabbage, but there are over 20 types with ingredients varying to reflect the different tastes, seasons and regions of Korea. Kimchi can be combined into a huge range of dishes, so AMA and Le Cordon Bleu are challenging entrants to design a delicious and unique new kimchi dish.

Entering the competition is easy, entrants simply create their recipe, take a picture of the dish and the Kimchi that has been used to create your recipe, then submit the entry between September 12th and September 13th, 2026. The 10 most appealing recipes will be selected for the final. The finalists will compete on 23 September 2026 in the kitchens of Le Cordon Bleu London. A total of £1,800 in prizes is up for grabs for the winner and runners-up.