“From a Master Chef’s Cooking Show to Youth Startup Booths”... NS Food Festa Opens on the 16th

[Financial News] The food culture festival “NS Food Festa 2026 Iksan,” co-hosted by NS Shopping and Iksan City, will be held on the 16th and 17th at and around Harim First Kitchen in Iksan, North Jeolla Province. This year’s program will also include a cooking show by Chef Ahn Yu-seong, a food culture lecture and youth startup programs.
According to industry sources on the 12th, “NS Food Festa 2026 Iksan” is an event centered on a nationwide cooking competition that also showcases food, hands-on activities, food companies and youth-led startups.
On the first day of the event, the 16th, Chef Ahn Yu-seong, Korea’s 16th designated Master Chef, will hold a cooking show. He will demonstrate cooking and share his know-how, followed by photo opportunities and an autograph session for visitors. That afternoon, visitors can take part in a kimchi-making activity with Shin Seung-ju, Iksan’s first Kimchi Master. On the second day, the 17th, broadcaster Seo Gyeong-seok will give a food culture lecture on “The Food of Iksan.”
The “Youth Startup Festa” for youth-led startups will also run throughout the event. It will feature 28 booths in total, including a startup zone with 14 youth-led companies, as well as a participation zone, an information zone and a startup story hall. The program will also include sales of startup products, hands-on activities, startup information and consultations with NS Shopping merchandisers (MDs) on getting products listed.
“Challenge! Food Golden Bell” will be held on the main stage on the 17th. True-or-false, multiple-choice and short-answer questions will cover topics including Iksan’s food and food industry.
“This year, NS Food Festa has prepared a range of programs to share the joy of cooking and food culture and give visitors a chance to encounter youth-led startups and new food products firsthand,” said Heo Yeong-hwan, an executive director at NS Shopping’s Media Strategy Division.

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