"In our household, we celebrated pretty much all the holidays," says chef Katianna Hong, who owns Korean American restaurant and deli Yangban Society with her husband, John Hong. Born in South Korea, Kat was adopted when she was three months old and raised in upstate New York by an Irish Catholic mom and a Jewish dad. So she knows a thing or two about blended traditions. When Christmas and Hanukkah overlap, like they do this year, it gives Chrismukkah an extra oomph. You can taste the culinary and cultural mashup in Kat's matzoh ball soup, which is based on her grandmother Cindy's recipe but features hand-torn Korean dumplings and a ramen-y broth that incorporates emulsified chicken skin.
Kat Hong's matzoh ball soup is based on her grandmother Cindy's recipe but features hand-torn Korean dumplings and a ramen-y broth. Photo courtesy of Yangban Society.