What’s My ‘Real’ Hashtag?
#TeaInspired

As I explore new desserts that complement tea and strive to convey OSULLOC’s brand values through ‘flavor’ and ‘pairing,’ my ‘real hashtag’ is #TeaInspired. Through this hashtag, I’d like to share three keywords that capture my work and daily life.

#TeaFoodPairing, which represents the combinations that complete OSULLOC’s flavors; #RecipeBook, which holds my lifelong journey in baking and pastry; and #Scale, which symbolizes the precision and accuracy that define my approach to desserts. Let me introduce you to the keywords that define my work in OSULLOC tea food development.

Designing Complete Flavors Where Tea and Dessert Meet #TeaFoodPairing

Beverages are one of the essential elements that complete the dessert experience. That’s why I wanted to study tea in depth at OSULLOC, a company that grows and commercializes its own tea, and explore the harmony between desserts and beverages. I particularly love the deep umami flavor of 100% organic matcha. I take great pride in my work implementing #TeaFoodPairing using matcha and other diverse teas. The simple fact that I can simultaneously develop my understanding of ‘quality tea’ and create desserts is one of the great joys of this work. At OSULLOC, pairing isn’t simply about combining foods—it’s an experience designed to help you appreciate tea’s aroma and flavor at their best. From the moment customers sip their tea to the time they enjoy their dessert, I believe pairing is an essential element that completes the ‘OSULLOC tea experience.’

I’m currently working on a project to develop an ‘experiential tea menu’ that allows customers to discover various teas and tea food items. We’ve introduced tea samplers at all OSULLOC Tea House locations, where customers can experience different tea varieties paired with tea food, and we’re operating tea courses at our Bukchon and 1979 locations that feature seasonal tea and tea food pairings. We’ve also developed distinctive menu items available exclusively at the 1979 location, such as ‘Matcha Dasik Hansang,’ which incorporates Korean elements reflecting matcha and K-food trends.

I’d also like to share the ‘Matcha Noodle Bar’ project, which opened this year at the OSULLOC Jeju Tea Museum. I participated in the entire process, from initial meetings with the chef to establishing the menu concept, recipe testing, and actual store implementation, which gave me a memorable attachment to both the space and the menu. Most of all, it was a meaningful moment because it represented a new challenge—planning and implementing a food menu rather than bakery items.

I find great fulfillment in creating new experiences that combine matcha with Korean elements and reflect current trends. I find this work especially meaningful because it allows me to deliver not just beverages, but an exceptional ‘experience’ that embodies OSULLOC’s unique brand values.

The Culmination of Tea Food Research #RecipeBook

Ever since I was young, I’ve loved cooking and assembling things, finding great satisfaction in creating and completing something with my own hands. I started learning baking and pastry in elementary school, and went on to major in it through high school and university. While many friends and peers changed career paths or left the field, I’ve stayed on my ‘lifelong baking journey’ without much doubt about my direction.

That’s why my #RecipeBook holds a place like treasure in my life. It’s a portfolio capturing the path I’ve walked so far, and also the driving force that enables me to develop desserts with an ever-broader perspective. Recently, I’ve been deeply immersed in creating desserts that capture ‘Korean sensibility.’

After joining the company, I encountered yanggaeng (sweet red bean jelly) for the first time. Though it’s not a traditional dasik, I felt it paired beautifully with OSULLOC’s matcha (green tea). That experience sparked my desire to develop ‘yanggaeng as a tea food that complements OSULLOC.’ My first attempt at making yanggaeng combined knowledge from books and videos with my own ideas. While it wasn’t perfect, the process itself held significant meaning for me.

Thanks to training opportunities within the company, I was able to learn the fundamental principles and deepen my understanding of yanggaeng. Now I’m experimenting with various yanggaeng flavors, drawing on my baking and pastry experience while comprehensively considering multiple elements—red bean paste, agar, sweetness level, texture, and aroma—to achieve balanced flavors. The ability to develop personal interests and expertise into actual brand products is what I find most appealing about working at Amorepacific.

Moving forward, I want to present a new direction for ‘K-desserts’—desserts that are both distinctly Korean and globally sophisticated—by building on traditional Korean snacks and desserts while incorporating techniques and styles from international desserts such as Japan, France, Italy, and beyond.

Maintaining Fundamentals and Finding Balance #Scale

In baking, ‘precision and accuracy’ matter more than anything else. That’s why the #Scale is an essential foundational tool for reproducible recipes, consistent quality, and reliable results. The #Scale’s precision and balancing nature also symbolize my approach to work and life. In my work, especially, I believe that balancing three elements—‘tea and dessert pairing,’ ‘reinterpreting Korean desserts,’ and ‘seasonality and trends’—is the standard for completing ‘distinctly OSULLOC desserts.’ Through this balance, my core value is creating products that convey ‘our brand’s unique character’ to customers.

The habit I consider most important in my daily routine is ‘organizing the refrigerator.’ At the end of each workday, I organize the refrigerator, arranging that day’s work and the ingredients I’ll need the next day. This process reduces time wasted searching for ingredients and improves work efficiency. I believe this routine carries meaning beyond simple cleaning. An organized refrigerator represents my commitment to maintaining strong fundamentals in my work and my daily effort to sustain consistent quality.

My profession isn’t simply ‘making bread’—it demands critical thinking, physical stamina, persistence, and meticulous attention to detail. The baking and pastry industry is known for its physical demands, requiring long hours of standing and handling heavy ingredients. Since my regular work already consumes considerable energy, I place the greatest importance on ‘complete rest’ during weekends. After finishing household tasks, I dedicate the remaining time entirely to rest. While this might seem ordinary to many people, for me, this time is an essential part of my weekend routine for maintaining ‘health and life balance.’

MINI INTERVIEW

Doyeon Lee’s Recruitment Tip

Strong fundamentals go beyond simply ‘theory and recipes’—they form the foundation for understanding various principles like ingredient characteristics, how dough changes, and differences based on temperature and time. With this foundation in place, you can approach developing new recipes or tackling different dessert styles with much greater flexibility and confidence.

That’s why I recommend graduating from a baking and pastry or food service and hospitality program, or obtaining recognized certifications. This allows you to objectively demonstrate your fundamentals and foundational knowledge, giving you advantages both during the hiring process and when entering professional practice.

I also encourage you to actively experiment with a variety of ingredients, styles, cooking methods, and techniques. This not only improves your skills but also provides excellent opportunities to cultivate your own sensibility and originality. I believe it’s crucial to embrace a ‘spirit of challenge’—approaching new attempts with an open mind rather than staying confined to existing frameworks.