Seoul Food
Red Door Kitchen is back and we are so thrilled to feature our own Angela Yeo.
Angela and her daughter Eryn are vibrant members of St. Barnabas. Every Sunday, you will find Angela using her talent to sing in the Adult Choir and Eryn can be found hanging out with her Godly Play friends downstairs or flashing her adorable smile to everyone she meets.
Born in Seoul, Angela grew up in a very international household. Her mother was Korean and worked at the American Embassy in Seoul and her father was in the trade business and travelled her whole childhood. He spoke Korean, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Chinese. He was raised in an American school in Hong Kong which allowed him to be fluent in English. Their family traveled extensively so Angela and her younger sister had the opportunity to experience many different cuisines.
Leaving Home for a New Adventure
In 2018, Angela and her husband, also a singer, decided to come to the United States to study Opera Performance, at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. After their studies there, they were invited to join one of , if not the most renowned musical institutions -CIM - The Cleveland Institute of Music. While in Cleveland, they welcomed their daughter, Eryn, as they continued to pursue their careers.
During a recent interview, Angela graciously shared a little about her life.
What brought you from Cleveland to Cincinnati?
We moved to Cincinnati because there was a company here who could help my husband get his Green Card so that we could continue to live here in the United States with our US born daughter. Eryn doesn’t need one but we did and Cincinnati was the best option for our family. And now, we will be applying for US Citizenship in 2027!
How did you end up at St. Barnabas?
During Covid we were looking for jobs and a friend of mine from Cleveland Institute of Music had gone to school at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. He was a part of a group called, “Talent for Hire” and he told me about a church job. I looked at the listing and saw that it was only 3 minutes away from our home.
(Angela was a vital part of our weekly services which were filmed during the week and aired each Sunday. She sang in small groups and offered solos for all us watching from home)
Red Door Kitchens was created to celebrate the diverse cultural experiences of our members and to bring our community together through food and storytelling.
Do you cook only Korean at home?
Oh no, I cook everything! I love to bake and cook Italian, French, American….all of it! I love to cook!
Do you have a favorite food memory from your childhood?
I was travelling so much and was exposed to alot of different foods and my favorite is Dim Sum. I really feel like Chinese food is my soul food.
What is exciting about this time of year in Korean Food Culture?
We are getting ready to celebrate Chuseok which translates to Night of Fall. It’s based on our fall harvesting period in Korea. The date changes every year because in Korea, we use the Lunar Calendar. This year it falls on Monday, October 6, so this is the perfect time to share this meal with everyone.
How important is food in Korean Culture?
All of our family celebrations are surrounded by food. A traditional special occasion meal is non-stop from Morning till Night. New people arrive throughout the day and you start again. We make huge portions…just like the Italians. We always want there to be so much because we want to treat you when you come to our home. You don’t have to finish it but we don’t want it to be less. We make more than you could possibly eat as a way to make you feel special.
What should we expect from your Red Door Kitchen- Seoul Food - evening?
Food! I love food so there will be more than enough for everyone. In Korea, we would never let you cook as our guest so I will be preparing the meal for everyone. I’m planning on making traditional as opposed to Korean Street Food. There will be a beef dish,(we love beef in Korea), vegetarian glass noodles, traditional rice cakes and our favorite dessert of asian pears and persimmons with a cinnamon rice dessert drink.
What do you hope people will learn from our evening together?
I hope to introduce people to something new!
We are so excited to welcome Angela to our Red Door Kitchen and hope that you will make this a great way to kick off October. Reservations are limited so don’t wait, sign up today!
Seoul Kitchen
Wednesday, October 1st | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Undercroft
Join us for a special culinary journey as our own Angela Yeo
shares the rich flavors and traditions of Korean cuisine!
Angela will guide us through preparing a traditional Korean meal while sharing stories from her heritage.
Pricing:
$30 per person
$50 per couple
Children & youth attend FREE
LIMITED SEATING: Only 40 spots available!
Register now before seats fill up!
If you would like to volunteer to help with meal prep and work side by side Angela in our St. B Kitchen, please select “Help with Food Prep and Cooking” in this link to Realm to volunteer.
