[Ota Ward, Tokyo] "Additive-Free Kimchi Class" to Learn Authentic Korean Fermented Kimchi to be Held on April 25. Ms. Lee from "Lee-san Channel" with 173,000 YouTube Subscribers Will Directly Teach How to Make It.

Reasan Co., Ltd. (Location: Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, Representative Director: Kazuo Kageura), which operates a dining business and additive-free kimchi classes nationwide, will hold an "Additive-Free Kimchi Class" on Saturday, April 25, from 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM at "Ikegami Kaikan" in Ota Ward, Tokyo. While many commercial kimchis are mainly "quick pickles" that are not fermented, in this class, participants can actually make and take home "authentic fermented kimchi" that does not use chemical seasonings or additives such as preservatives or umami seasonings. The content is suitable for beginners, and it is a practical course for those interested in fermented foods and those who want to incorporate healthy eating habits.

Are Commercial Kimchis Fermented Foods?

In Japan, kimchi is widely enjoyed as a familiar food, but in reality, many kimchis sold in Japan are mainly "quick pickle kimchis" whose flavors are adjusted with chemical seasonings and additives. It is generally said that about 80-90% of kimchi circulating in Japan is not fermented.

Authentic kimchi is a fermented food where lactic acid bacteria increase over time, deepening its sourness and umami. However, in Japan, due to distribution and storage reasons, products that stop fermentation or adjust the taste with sweeteners and seasonings are mainstream. Therefore, many people have never experienced "fermented kimchi" as it was originally meant to be.

On the other hand, in recent years, with increasing interest in gut health and immunity in Japan, fermented foods such as miso and nukazuke are being re-evaluated, and consumer awareness of "wanting to choose foods that rely as little as possible on additives" is also rising. Furthermore, interest in homemade fermented foods is expanding, and the number of people participating in cooking classes and fermentation courses is increasing.

Against this background, interest in classes to learn how to make additive-free kimchi is growing, driven by reasons such as "I want to make authentic fermented kimchi myself" and "I want to make additive-free kimchi that I can safely feed my family."

What is Ms. Lee from "Lee-san Channel's" Additive-Free Kimchi Class?

In Ms. Lee's additive-free kimchi class, you can learn the traditional way of making authentic fermented kimchi, passed down in Korean households, from the basics. Unlike commercial quick pickles, this course offers a practical experience of making kimchi that relies on the natural umami of ingredients and the power of natural fermentation, without preservatives or chemical seasonings.

The class first starts with "salting," which is the initial process of making napa cabbage kimchi. Salting napa cabbage is the most important step in kimchi making, and the outcome significantly affects the taste and fermentation state of the kimchi. Many failures in kimchi making...