Jang

Unlock the irresistible flavors of Korean cooking with jangs, the authentic sauces that are the essential building blocks of all Korean cuisine.

“Mingoo Kang, a luminary of cooking, knows that to truly harness flavor, we must honor the past and let the art of fermentation shape our future.” -René Redzepi, Danish chef and author of The Noma Guide to Fermentation

Written by South Korea’s award-winning top chef, Mingoo Kang, Jang demystifies jangs while showing how they can be used to make both Korean and Western dishes more delicious. Like butter in French cooking or olive oil in Italian, jangs are the soul of Korean cuisine. These soy-based umami sauces—gochujang, doenjang, ganjang—are found in every meal, from soups and stews, to salads, marinades, and even desserts, adding depth and complexity to every dish.

Few chefs understand these ingredients better than Michelin star winner Mingoo Kang, who has dedicated his Seoul restaurant, Mingles, to the exploration of jangs. In his first cookbook, Kang expertly weaves jangs’ history and methods into 60 accessible recipes to bring the sauces to life.

Through artisan profiles, sidebars, and step-by-step photographs, Jang uncovers one of the culinary world’s best-hidden secrets.

Winner of the James Beard Foundation Book Award 2025 in the Single Subject category

Named a Best New Cookbook of Spring 2024 by Eater and Epicurious