Hi, I’m Lis! I love food and I love to cook.
The Subversive Table is a collection of food that reflects me: Korean immigrant roots, American upbringing, and ex-pat life in Canada. I cook EVERYTHING! I also cook with a purpose: to bring people together. Whether it’s my family of five, neighbors, long-time friends or newly made ones — food brings us all together.
Here you’ll find Easy Korean Recipes inspired by my love for all things Korean. But you’ll also find Weeknight Meal Ideas when you’re in a rush, as well as inspiration for Dinner with Friends. Then there’s a section for the ultimate food party: The Potluck!!
Follow me in my quest to bring people together over a meal!
A little more about my story…
I’m an immigrant. I moved to the States when I was 4. I didn’t speak English. Neither did my brother, parents, or grandparents.
I grew up in a small town south of Seattle. Back then, it was mostly white. We were the only Korean family on the block. My parents worked long hours and I rarely saw them. Instead, my Halmoni, my Korean grandmother, took care of me after school.
I adored my Halmoni. She invited me into her kitchen and let me “cook” alongside her. I loved this world of weirdly awesome ingredients. Spicy gochujang. Bone soup. Quivering tofu. We squatted on the floor and mixed everything by hand. We tasted and readjusted seasonings until the “gan” was just right. I loved it all.
My Halmoni taught me that food is love. She cooked for people and she cooked in a way that made them feel cared for and treasured. For the little girl who didn’t really fit in at school and was constantly told that she was too strong and too much, this place of unconditional love and acceptance meant everything. When I was a little girl, I wanted to be just like her.
That’s why I always loved to cook. During grad school. At my first job as a teacher in NYC. Then when I married my love and became a mom. No matter where I lived, who was in my life, or what I was doing, cooking was always there. I cooked and I invited people over. I cooked for my roommates and I cooked for strangers. Cooking became my favorite hobby and constant obsession.
Today, I live in Toronto. In many ways, I live a very ordinary life, doing very ordinary things. But everyday, I cook. I cook the food that I love and I share it with people in my life. That may not seem like much, but it’s not nothing either. In the kitchen, I’m doing my part in breaking down the many divisions between us. World peace has to start somewhere. Why not at the table?