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Finding Korean BBQ in Spain

This week in Spain, I didn\’t expect to walk into a Korean BBQ restaurant! It was just between two tapas bars, but it looked full of local diners along with a good number of tourists like us. Watching them grill their own food made me think less about the menu and more about the people.

I think that Korean BBQ seemed exciting because it turns eating into something shared and interactive. Everyone leans over the grill, talks, laughs, and cooks together. That fits naturally with many cultures (including Spain) of longer meals and social dining. The ingredients might be different, but the way people enjoy it is the same.

Korea has been very intentional about spreading its culture globally, and food is a part of that. Korean BBQ is all about participation. It makes people slow down and engage, not just eat. This is the same feeling I had in Greece, and in so many other places. Maybe that\’s why it resonates across cultures.

From a health perspective, I think grilling your own food has tradeoffs. People are more aware of what they eat and how much they cook. At the same time, it is easy to overeat red meat or char food if you are not careful (and boy did I overeat!)

Seeing Spanish people embrace Korean BBQ reminded me that food and social habits spreads through people, not trends.