Food
Japan
The students will eat a large variety of food while they’re in the program. Breakfast will be eaten at a delicious buffet in our accommodations offering a mix of Japanese foods and Western staples. Lunch, dinner, and snacks will often be eaten out.
Expect to get a chance to eat many different types of Japanese dishes including sushi, ramen, tempura, curry rice, okonomiyaki, and more. We’ll also be able to eat more familiar foods when that is your preference. Japanese versions of Western food can sometimes be quite unique, as well.
Depending on the type of food meals may be individual plates, but in some cases, we may eat from shared dishes family-style.
Chopsticks are the most commonly used utensils, however, you can always ask for a fork or spoon if that is more comfortable
Korea
The students will eat a large variety of food while they’re on the program. Breakfast will be offered at the accommodations. Lunch and dinner will be eaten at various restaurants.
Restaurant Expectations
In restaurants, Koreans use a call button to fetch the waitstaff. If there’s no button, it’s common to yell out to the waitstaff. In old-style restaurants, people often sit on the floor shoeless when eating.
Meals may have a few rounds or courses. The last round is often fried/scorched rice or in the summer cold noodles.
While eating, audible sounds are acceptable. For example, slurping noodles is not rude. Koreans also may wear aprons to protect their clothing while dining.
At restaurants, it’s important not to be wasteful. In Korea, you have to pay to throw away trash and food waste. Korea is a world leader in food waste recycling. 95% of Korean food waste is composted.
Popular Food & Drink Choices
Coffee culture is very important in the nation. Plus, flavored milk like banana milk is quite popular.
People like eating extremely spicy food as they believe it relieves stress. Fried chicken is the #1 delivery item in Korea. You’ll see fried chicken shops everywhere you go.
