Jinny’s Kitchen, Ep 1-2

On the shores of Bacalar, Mexico, lies a vibrantly colored snack bar, its doors ready to open for patrons hungry for casual food, drinks, and fun conversation. This particular snack bar, Jinny’s Kitchen, is owned by Lee Seo Jin, who prides himself on his restaurant when the space is bustling with customers. His employees are executive director Jung Yu Mi, senior manager Park Seo Joon, and interns Choi Woo Shik and Kim Taehyung. The team must work together to survive in the fast-paced food industry in a foreign country.

Ep 1

In the first episode, the show opens with the actors, except Taehyung, meeting in Seoul with the show’s director to discuss the menu and roles. Kim Taehyung will work hard as an all-rounder who helps out in the kitchen whenever he’s called upon by Park Seo Joon, the chef, or Jung Yu Mi, whose role will be making kimbap. On the customer service side will be waiter Choi Woo Shik, who will take orders and bustle between the front and the back of the house, and Lee Seo Jun, working to maximize profits by attracting customers.

With roles set, the actors learn to cook the food they will eventually serve before heading to Bacalar, Mexico, known for its famous “lake of seven colors.” The actors’ first impression was that it was a seemingly secluded town with a low population compared to Seoul, but they soon realize the restaurant is situated right next to a hotel in the best neighborhood.

Two days before the grand opening, all four employees take an entire day to perform a dry run of their roles in the kitchen to prepare for work and improve their skills. The next day, they head to the market to grab fresh ingredients and last-minute supplies. Once they finish, the team heads to the restaurant for their first official look at the snack bar. Besides the boldly colorful interior, it boasts an open setting to maximize natural lighting from the front and top of the restaurant. Throughout the day, they work on accommodating their skills to their new work environment and, by the end of the day, decide on their menu prices.

Finally, the grand opening arrives! The four employees, except for Woo Shik, arrive at the restaurant together at 10:22 am. Upon arrival, they get to work prepping for the day. Even with their hard work, the opening had to be postponed until 1:00 pm. The workday starts slowly with no passersby and temperamental weather. An hour after opening, they received their first customers, a father-daughter duo who were later joined by other family members.

Ep 2

In the second episode, two more groups come in before the closing at 6:50 pm. The employees leave for home, where they eat dinner while reflecting on the hardships of the first day. They decide to add meatier items to the menu to attract more customers, before ending their day with some late-night ramen.

On the second day, as Tae and his team are driving to the restaurant, they immediately notice more customers. After all, it is the weekend! While the employees prepare food, the boss speaks to a couple of passersby who are interested in eating at the snack bar, particularly for dinner. At 2:00 pm, they serve their first eager customers – three men – lunch. As the afternoon moves ahead, two more tables are filled. The most popular item ends up being the kimbap, which flusters Yu Mi because she had originally missed one of the two kimbap orders placed by the three men.

As the food is distributed to the tables, the customers enjoy the exciting new flavors. Soon, the rain starts pouring again. Though it doesn’t last long, it does bring in one new customer who was looking for a place out of the rain. When the rain stops, the lunch rush leaves which allows the employees to rest and clean up. Meanwhile, Woo Shik is on his way to the restaurant while practicing his Spanish lessons in the car.

At one point, two single patrons come in to try Korean food. They strike up a conversation with each other, seeking camaraderie among strangers. Eventually, the snack bar picks up again from the sudden rain. While everyone is busy fulfilling new orders, Woo Shik arrives. The episode ends with him quickly getting to work, washing dishes and helping out wherever necessary before previewing a busy Sunday to come.

Stay tuned for more slice-of-life episodes from the cozy “Jinny’s Kitchen”.

Written by: Rei

Edited by: Lisa K

Designed by: Achan

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