Hi there!
Welcome to my blog! I am Jin, the creator behind Seasoned by Jin! I am a self-taught home cook based out of Virginia. I am a total foodie and I love all types of cuisines and flavors, especially Korean! I love to spend time in my home kitchen where I let my creative side get loose and just have fun! I love watching others enjoy my food and gives me the greatest joy in life. If you want to know more about me and the reasons behind Seasoned by Jin, please check out my stories below. Thanks for reading!
When Did my Passion for cooking start?
My cooking journey started in middle school, more as a survival, since both of my parents worked long hours. I remember the first soup I made for the family; my parents didn’t say much but had a puzzled look. I knew I had a long way to go…
Then in college, cooking became one of my favorite hobbies. I would cook for my friends or whoever visited me, just to get their feedback. Unfortunately with lack of Asian ingredients and proper kitchen, there were much limitations.
It wasn’t until I got married, I started taking cooking more seriously. This is where cooking Korean food started to get intense. Almost every night, I would try a new recipe from a paperback cookbook my aunt had sent me from Korea. (Which was quite hard to find during those days.) I wanted to cook more, learn more, and get better fast!
Who is behind Seasoned by jin?
Here are some tidbits about me. I was born in Seoul Korea. My family moved to the States when I was 10 years old and eventually settled in Virginia. My background is in the Arts/Design field and as a hint, I am a Hokie! I am married and a busy mom raising 3 kids. I would fit in the 1.5 Korean American category and in case you want to know, I am bilingual. Thankfully I can read, write and speak in both languages. When I was younger, my friends would tell me to become a translator, but obviously that didn’t happen. As with many immigrated kids, I also went through some identity crisis. But eventually learned to accept myself for who I was and where I was from.
Why Is Cooking Important To Me?
For me, cooking brings back sweet memories from the past and warms my heart. Growing up in Korea, we often had big family gatherings, always filled with delicious homemade dishes. Everyone would gather around the Korean table (bapsang) and enjoy the good food and company for hours. At times, a voluntary singer would become the entertainer for the night while the listeners use the wooden chopsticks as homemade percussions. Those were the days…
Another reason why cooking is important to me is because I am a very picky eater. (Probably take it after my dad, since he was also a picky eater.) If I didn’t like the menu of the day, I pretty much played with the food. And you know Asian adults do not like this kind of eater. But the worst part was the verbal criticisms, which have scarred me for life. From that point, I vowed to myself that I would always cook delicious food for my kids…
In addition, I developed food allergies and sensitivities to certain food. The same food I used to eat in my 20’s couldn’t be tolerated the same anymore. I knew from then; I had also inherited a sensitive digestive system. Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise, because I think my keen sense of smell and taste buds came out from those sensitives. They really do help me especially in recipe development and food tasting. Ha!
Why Did I Choose to Start a Cooking Blog?
First, I wanted to help others in creating healthy and delicious homemade food for all type of age group. I believe good things should be shared and appreciated. I also wanted to share about Korean home cooked meals (which are called jip-bap). I wanted, especially the non-Koreans, to see that there is more Korean food than what you see in the restaurants.
Next, I wanted to leave a legacy for my children. Even when I am not around, they would still be able to replicate the dishes I used to make for them. And perhaps remember me and the good times we had together.
Where Do I Get My Inspirations From?
My dad was one of my biggest influencers in my life. He was a firm believer that you can achieve anything if you put your heart and mind to it. Unlike other Korean dads from his time, he always made me feel very special & unique and comfortable of who I was. He was not a chef but always loved cooking for our family. I remember how he used to get so excited about making a new dish, and my favorite part was tasting all of them. My Dad’s favorite saying was, “let’s try making that dish, it can’t be that hard!” He made cooking seem easy and fun.
Another big influencer is my grandmother (my mom’s side), who was an excellent home cook. I remember watching her cook when she visited us during summer breaks. I don’t know how she made everything taste so delicious! Even a simple radish, or a handful of bean sprouts tasted so good after her magic hands had touched them. Her old school way of cooking was simple yet very delicious. I don’t have any written recipes from my grandmother, but I still think a lot of my Korean recipes have been developed in memory of her dishes and their flavors.
Lastly, I get my cooking inspiration from the food I have tasted, places I have visited, people I have met, and the stories I have read. Thank you for reading about me and Seasoned by Jin. I am so excited I can finally share my food recipes, stories, and inspirations with you!
Let’s Keep in Touch!
Homemade meals can be just as tasty and healthy! Let me know your thoughts! Would love to hear your comments. Don’t forget to Like, Follow and Subscribe! For all other questions or inquiries, please go to the Contact Page or email here: [email protected]
Now let’s get cooking!