*This content was translated by AI.
NS Home Shopping announced on the 31st that it officially appointed judges to lead the judging of the cooking competition at 'NS Food Festa 2026 Iksan' during a ceremony held at its Pangyo headquarters on the 28th.
The cooking competition for this year's 'NS Food Festa 2026 Iksan' will be divided into two categories: General Category and Family Category.
This year's appointed judging panel, led by Master Chef Nam Dae-hyun Shim Sa-wi (Director), includes Master Chefs Ahn Yu-seong, Cheon Deok-sang, and culinary researcher Kim Sang-young for the General Category, while the Family Category will be judged by Director Choi Soo-geun, Master Chef Jo Woo-hyun, and cooking skills expert Lee Soon-ok — all experts with extensive experience.
The judging panel is scheduled to participate in the finals on October 16–17 at Harim First Kitchen in Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, where they will conduct on-site evaluations of the major competitions.
The General Category will be held on October 16 with the theme "Meal kits made from fresh natural ingredients," while the Family Category will take place on October 17 under the theme "Convenient lunch boxes made using Harim Group products." Judging will focus on criteria including theme appropriateness, commercialization potential, and creativity.
Immediately after the appointment ceremony, the judging panel conducted document reviews to select teams advancing to the finals based on their submitted entries for the General Category.
In the General Category document review, Master Chef Nam Dae-hyun Shim Sa-wi (Director) stated, "Since this year's theme is meal kits, the most basic evaluation factor will be how well the inherent freshness of our local ingredients has been preserved." He added, "We will also carefully assess convenience for easy home cooking by consumers, commercial viability to ensure the products can be successfully launched and loved by the public, and creativity — balancing all these elements."
He continued, "This year, approximately twice as many teams applied compared to last year, increasing competitiveness. At the same time, the overall quality of submitted works has significantly improved." He remarked, "There are many entries that go beyond simply delicious recipes, offering popular yet innovative ideas that accurately reflect recent consumer trends. As a judge, I am highly anticipating the finals."
NS Home Shopping Executive Director Jo Hang-mok (CEO) said, "'NS Food Festa' is Korea's representative food culture festival under the slogan 'The best taste comes from freshness!' where people of all ages can eat, watch, and enjoy." He added, "We will operate fair and professional competitions alongside master chefs who have led Korean food culture, ensuring participants' innovative ideas translate into new possibilities for food products. We aim to grow this platform not only to promote the development of Korea's food culture and food industry but also to widely raise awareness of the value of regional food industries."
Meanwhile, 'NS Food Festa 2026 Iksan' is hosted by NS Home Shopping and Iksan City. It features continuous operation of various exhibition and experience booths, including Harim Industry's "Gourmet Tour," Harim Group's Fresh Market, cooking classes, lectures by distinguished speakers, on-site events, Iksan City's multi-generational famous restaurants, and an experience zone.
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*This content was translated by AI.
