A Night of Korean Street Food at Bekah Kate’s

Baraboo met Berkeley (with a dash of Seoul!) in our kitchen classroom this past week. We hosted an incredible Korean Street Food Cooking Class led by guest chef Marie Brennan, founder of Hedonist in Moderation and a passionate educator, vegetarian chef, and flavor adventurer. With a menu full of bold flavors, sizzling pans, and lots of laughter, the evening was a flavorful success—and we can't wait to welcome you to our next class!

Meet Chef Marie Brennan

Marie’s food journey started on a small dairy farm in rural Wisconsin, but her curiosity took her around the world—literally. She became a vegetarian at 14 and soon after started working at a local health food store, falling in love with ingredients like miso and wakame (even if they took a little warming up to). Her path led her to teach English in South Korea, attend culinary school in Berkeley, and earn a degree in Dietetics from UW–Madison.

Today, Marie works as a private chef, educator, and recipe developer, blending California cuisine with global influences. Her style is fun, seasonal, and rooted in the belief that good food doesn’t need to be complicated or joyless. (Also, she may or may not have had the best earrings in the room.)

What We Cooked: Three Classic Korean Street Foods

Tteokbokki (떡볶이)
A spicy, chewy, utterly addictive rice cake dish. Made with gochujang (Korean red chili paste), scallions, and fish cake (or mushrooms for a vegetarian twist), this dish is Korean comfort food at its finest. We simmered the rice cakes until tender and the sauce thickened into a glossy, chili-laced glaze.

Bindaetteok (빈대떡)
Savory mung bean pancakes, crispy on the outside and soft inside. Ground soaked mung beans are combined with kimchi, vegetables, and pan-fried until golden. It’s hearty, nourishing, and absolutely delicious with a bit of dipping sauce—more on that below.

Hotteok (호떡)
A sweet treat to end the evening! These filled Korean pancakes are stuffed with a brown sugar, cinnamon, and nut mixture, then pan-fried until golden. The filling melts into a syrupy, caramel-like center. We served them hot off the pan, just like you'd find on a street corner in Seoul.

Sourcing Korean Ingredients in Baraboo

You don’t have to hop a flight to find ingredients for Korean home cooking. We found most of what we needed locally:

The Grainery had pantry staples like kelp, mung beans, and rice flour.
Festival Foods stocked items like gochugang (chili sauce), kimchi, scallions, mushrooms, sesame oil, and soy sauce alternatives.

Featured Product: Olivelle Black Garlic Tamari Balsamic

One of the surprise hits of the class was our Olivelle Black Garlic Tamari Balsamic, available right here at Bekah Kate’s. We stirred a bit of this sweet-savory vinegar into finely diced onion to make an incredible dipping sauce for our bindaetteok.

Its umami-rich flavor also makes it a fantastic substitute for soy sauce in stir fries, marinades, or salad dressings—especially for folks who are watching sodium or looking for gluten-free options.

Shop Olivelle Black Garlic Tamari Balsamic

Join Us for Future Cooking Classes

Cooking classes at Bekah Kate’s are about more than just recipes. They’re about learning, tasting, and connecting—with food and each other. Whether you're a curious beginner or a seasoned home chef, we’d love to have you at our next event.

Keep an eye on our class calendar and sign up early—seats fill fast!
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