Kymberli DeLost uses doenjang at home in ramen, sauces, and marinades, she says, but she’s never experimented with the Korean fermented bean paste at the Gage, Acanto, or the Dawson, the three Billy Lawless restaurants where she runs the pastry programs. At least, she hadn’t until David Park (Hanbun) challenged her to create a dish with doenjang. The bean paste is similar to miso (both are made from soybeans), DeLost says, but with more fermented flavor and less sweetness.
Who’s next: DeLost has challenged pastry chef Kevin McCormick of Beacon Tavern to create a dish with eggplant. “I’ve had it in dessert and it’s one of my favorite things, but you never see it, so I want to see how creative he can get,” she says.
