[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Yuri] The demand for ‘To-go Charyesang’?holiday ancestral ritual food prepared by hotel chefs and delivered ready to serve?is increasing. Due to COVID-19 making large family gatherings difficult, people only need the food to place on the table, and it is popular because it allows them to reduce the energy spent on purchasing ingredients, preparation, and cooking while still setting a luxurious and proper table.
According to the hotel industry on the 21st, Hanwha Hotels & Resorts’ Plaza Hotel saw a 627% increase in sales last year for its ‘Seol Holiday Charye Food To-go.’ This product is characterized by being made in the traditional way by 12 nationwide head families (jongga) with whom the hotel has a traditional food development agreement, and the ingredients are sourced from the regions where these head families reside and cooked on the day of receipt. The head family matriarchs participated in the food composition and prepared it together with the hotel chefs. A hotel official said, "There are many reservation inquiries this year as well," expecting the sales growth trend from last year to continue.
The Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas has already surpassed last year’s Lunar New Year sales in reservations for its ‘Grand Kitchen Chef’s Special Charyesang’ about a week before the holiday. Despite the high price of approximately 790,000 KRW, it is popular because all the foods placed on the charyesang?such as dried yellow corvina, Korean beef, octopus, fish jeok, meat jeok, sea bream jeon, and soup?are prepared by Korean cuisine specialist chefs and delivered right to the customer’s doorstep.
JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul, which started preparing ‘Holiday Full Table To-go’ riding the trend of simplifying charyesang since Chuseok 2019 before the COVID-19 situation, also saw a 90% increase in sales compared to last year’s Lunar New Year. A hotel official said, "Now in its fourth year since launch, it has become a steady-selling promotion menu for the hotel," and predicted, "Since the sales period is still ongoing, sales are expected to exceed the target."
Additionally, Courtyard Marriott Seoul Namdaemun Hotel introduced representative holiday dishes priced in the 100,000 KRW range for the first time this year, emphasizing price competitiveness. Lotte Hotel Seoul, anticipating many ‘Home Seol-jok’ who will spend the Lunar New Year quietly at home due to social distancing, launched a ‘Premium Set’ made with high-end ingredients such as tomahawk steak, black tiger shrimp, and grilled abalone. They also prepared Family Set A, consisting of steamed abalone tail, rice cake soup, and assorted jeon, and Family Set B, consisting of premium braised short ribs, rice cake soup, and assorted jeon. A Lotte Hotel official said, "Last year’s Chuseok ‘Drive-thru’ product sales increased by more than 15% compared to the previous Chuseok," adding, "Reservations usually flood during the holiday season, but inquiries are already coming in this year, so we expect good results."
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