About

Hi, I’m Lis.  I love food and I love to cook. 

I’m an immigrant who grew up living between two worlds. In my American world, I ate Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. In my Korean world, I ate kimchi, ban chan, bone soup, and fluffy white rice. Then I grew up, married an ABC (American Born Chinese), became a mom, and moved to Canada.

On this blog, all these worlds collide into one big pot of collective deliciousness!

What you’ll find at The Subversive Table:

The Subversive Table is a food blog that reflects me: Korean immigrant roots, American upbringing, ex-pat life in Canada.

You’ll find lots of dishes inspired by my love for Korean food: Galbi Jjim aka Korean Braised Short Ribs, Bossam, Kimchi Jjigae, and My North Korean Grandmother’s Braised Pork Belly. Dishes that I’ve been making forever, written down in recipe form. These are the dishes you’ll cook again and again. Pure Korean comfort food!

oval platter of korean boiled pork (bossam) with fresh radish kimchi
kimchi stew (kimchi jjigae) in a white bowl with spoon
hands holding bowl of Korean braised short ribs and rib at table set for a meal
small shallow dish with korean braised pork belly and side dishes all around
table setting of yukgaejang, Korean spicy beef soup, with spoons and chopsticks, cups, and kimchi
two bowls of korean oxtail soup with wooden bowl of green onions
hand pulling cheese buldak from cast iron skillet

You’ll also find modern dishes with an Asian twist: Buttermilk Waffles + Black Sesame Whip, Miso-Glazed Salmon Skewers, Spicy Soba Noodles, Coffee Jello, and Black Sesame Mochi Cake. This is the food I love to cook and eat, on a daily basis.

There’s also food that’s great for sharing. If you grow up in an immigrant community, you know it’s all about the food! Potlucks. Family Dinners. Reunions. Dinner with Friends. Here you’ll find creative ideas that will make the aunties and uncles nod with approval and keep your friends excited, too!

  • mochi donuts on wire rack
  • individual cups of black sesame creme brulee in baking pan
  • soba noodles with vegetables in bowl and tongs
  • top down shot of plate of asian glazed salmon and rice with fork and rice in corner
  • asian rice bowl, close-up

Let’s stay connected!

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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.

My parents worked long hours. Instead, my Korean grandmother — my Halmoni — took care of me after school. In her kitchen, I watched her cook the Korean way: mixing by hand, squatting on the floor, tasting until the “gan” was just right, poking and prodding to determine doneness. Together, we tasted everything.

Black and white photo of Korean halmoni
little girl sitting next to lady in white coat

When I moved out, I learned how to cook the American way: exact amounts, written recipes, step-by-step photos and videos. I learned from Ina and Giada, America’s Test Kitchen and The Food Network, recipe index sites and gourmet food magazines. In this way, I learned how to make Western food: bechamel, roast chicken, quiche, and pork carnitas.

And yet, I still craved Korean food. Back then, there weren’t many blogs or print media devoted to Asian Cooking. So I called up Halmoni. And that’s how I learned to cook Korean food — following her vague yet weirdly accurate descriptions: add enough sugar until it’s sweet enough, reduce until it looks done, poke and see if it jiggles, etc.

When people started asking me for recipes, that’s how this blog came to be. The Subversive Table is the story of the food I love to cook and eat: traditional Korean dishes. Modern dishes with an Asian twist. Not too sweet desserts. And everything in between!