My favourite restaurant in town


By Laurence Berridge

After I had been accepted on to the EPIK scheme, and prior to my departure for Gwangju a mere five months ago, I suffered the anxieties that I'm sure most (if not all) prospective Native English teachers have shared with me: "Will the students engage with my teaching style?", "Will the language barrier be too great for comfort?" and "How hard will it be to leave all of my close friends and family behind?". Yet, the anxiety that persisted to plague my thoughts the most was "Will I be able to survive as a vegetarian in Korea?"
I have been a faithful plant munching herbivore for over 7 years, and what I read about surviving as one in Korea was, to be frank, not at all encouraging. The recurring comments seemed to suggest that it's possible, but not easy. Great. Still, I didn't want to let that discourage me. I had my heart set on educating and trying to inspire the young minds of Korean middle school students, so I wasn't about to call a halt to proceedings too easily.
Once I'd arrived and was starting to settle in Korea, as expected, I found it very difficult to find a range of foods I could eat. At that point, I could read and speak very little Korean, so the chance for a good meal was based on guesswork and gesticulation. I recall only a few weeks in, compensating for the language barrier by wildly imitating a cow to a slightly confused but greatly amused restaurant owner.
Once I started taking Korean language classes however, I found it a great help to be able to read menus and memorise the more useful phrases ('Gogi bae juseyo'- 'please remove the meat', still being the most useful!). Still, I found myself all too often ordering the same few dishes, so in time I tried to branch out to wider horizons.
After making acquaintance with a fellow vegetarian teacher, I was made aware of a map which detailed every known vegetarian restaurant in South Korea. 'Excellent!', I thought to myself. After a confused and careful study, I eventually discovered there was a restaurant in my district, a short walk from my apartment. 'Excellent!' I thought again to myself. Not quite knowing what to expect, I brought a friend along after a weary hike up Gwangju's great Mudeung mountain. Tired and hungry we were hoping for a satisfying meal to replenish lost energies, so I thought we could see what this vegetarian restaurant near my place had to offer. As it turned out, Chayon Chuwe excelled its expectations.
My first impression upon entering was not expressed with dignified reservation, as you would perhaps expect of a responsible English teacher, but rather it was one of childish exuberant glee. "I can eat all of this food!" I thought. "I don't have to examine it closely or use my embarrassingly limited Korean to try to understand whether it's vegetarian¡¦I know it is!". Scoffing ensued.
The food itself is offered in an all-you-can-eat style open buffet spread, masterfully blending Korean and western tastes. Neatly arranged in plates and bowls are various home made soups, vegetarian kimchi (usually it contains fish sauce), green tea rice, caramelised lotus root, pizza, spaghetti and potato gratin, amongst other varied treats. Although all of these foods are traditionally not put together, I found it to be a harmonious balance of flavours. Once you've had your fill of main, there's a delightful section dedicated for dessert including fresh fruit and the traditional Korean beverages Sikhye (sweet rice drink) and Sujeonggwa (delicious and refreshing cinnamon fruit punch).

The decor is modern and stylish, yet not overbearing. Plants fill the room's corners and rest up against window panes. The ceiling is lined with bamboo bark, and lamp lights hang underneath. Soft piano music can be gently heard gracing the subconscious, often renditions of popular western songs. Combined, it makes for a wholly pleasant dining atmosphere.
The name of the restaurant 'Chayon Chuwe' translates in English as 'naturalism'. This seems an all too apt title after only a few minutes of conversation with the owner. The English spoken and incredibly warm hearted Byun Kyung Sup (or 'David' as he is better known to foreigners) places a great emphasis on the quality and freshness of the ingredients used in his restaurant's dishes. 'I serve organic food' Byun proclaims.
As well as on quality, he is concerned with the origin of his produce. He goes by strict means to offer 'local food' as he puts it. He keeps in close contact with farmers, and tries to be self-sufficient by using his own farm land in nearby Mokpo. He considers it of great importance to eat only freshly picked, locally sourced foods, for the sake of health and wellbeing- a quality normally lost when food must be sprayed with preservatives to be transported over long distances. Although Byun bashfully admits that he does sometimes have to import some foods from abroad. "You just can't grow bananas in Korea!" he erupts, with a wide grin to match.
When asked if he would ever consider opening another restaurant Byun was firm on his decision to remain a solo operation. 'Some people have asked me to expand my restaurant in to a chain, but I will never say yes. If I open another restaurant, then how can I manage that area?' He agrees that his business approach and philosophy is quality over quantity.
The restaurant is located in Gwangju's humble Pung am district, a stone's throw from the beautiful Pung am reservoir. It's not all that close to the bustling downtown, where you might expect to find a thriving restaurant in Gwangju. Instead, Byun owes his success to reputation and an array of loyal customers. 'We never advertise in newspapers or magazines. People only hear about this place by word of mouth.' He continues. 'Many of my customers are loyal and I love taking care of them.' Says Byun proudly.
Being the daunted vegetarian that I was five months ago when I first arrived in Korea, I felt like I'd struck gold when I stumbled upon Chayon Chuwe. Not only is it a restaurant which offers an array of delicious, hearty foods, but also maintains a sturdy and inspiring philosophy about its operations. The atmosphere is wholly positive with contented smiles from it's guests and offers a relaxing interior. Having received equally fervent reviews from non-vegetarian friends, co-teachers and even Gwangju vegetarian society members only re-enforces my beliefs that it's a great place to eat in Gwangju. That is why Chayon Chuwe is my favourite restaurant in town.

Chayon Chuwe is open 12-3 and 5.30-9 Monday through Sunday (except Friday evenings and Saturdays).
For further information about Chayon Chuwe please call 062 681-5800 (English, Korean).
Chayon Chuwe restaurant, Pung am dong, 1032-10 Seo-gu, Gwangju, South Korea.
Top tips for prospective vegetarian teachers coming to Korea:
-Request a city placement for closer proximity to vegetarian restaurants
-Learn to speak and read fundamental Korean
-Don't be afraid to ask for meat to be removed from a dish
-Use this very helpful map:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=101391246286214769758.00047d56ef3812ce76376&z=8