Ep 6. Fried Chicken

David Chang's Netflix original food and travel series Ugly Delicious draws its inspiration from the culinary world's sudden obsession with perfect plating and Michelin-star adherent recipes. Taking a detour from the contrived gastronomic practices, David explores the soul-nurturing joys of comfort food that connect people and their cultural identities. In the show's sixth episode titled "Fried Chicken," David, accompanied by renowned food writers and chefs, sets out on a journey to uncover the global history and cultural significance of a quintessentially American dish - Fried Chicken.

The episode starts with David explaining the ubiquity of fried chicken, from American fast-food chains to Korean street markets. He asserts that the dish not only exemplifies the best of vibrant cultures but also showcases the dark side of their history. The first stop on this episode's frying odyssey is the southern United States, where fried chicken has always been a staple dish in most soul food restaurants.

David has invited "Prince's Hot Chicken Shack" owner Andre Prince Jeffries, who talks about the history of Nashville's famous hot chicken. Jeffries explains that the spicy coating used in Hot chicken had its origins in African American folklore and is a testament to the resilience of black people in overcoming inequality. But David's curiosity goes beyond just the hot chicken. With some of the food writers in tow, David visits a local spot to get a taste of the less spicy fried chicken. Here he tastes the celebrated texture of the dish with the perfect golden brown crisp on the outside and juicy meat on the inside.

Further, in the episode, David takes us around Korea to talk about Korean-style fried chicken. He visits a bustling street where stalls sell bite-size chicken pops so famous in Korea. David's next stop is Bonchon, a fast-food chain known for its double-fried chicken crisps. Here David and Korean chef Roy Choi grab a beer and try Bonchon's infamous soy garlic chicken. The chefs chat about how Korean-style frying has become incredibly popular in the US and how the preparation of the chicken is significantly different in Korea.

The next segment takes us to the world of fast-food chains, and David explores the popularity of KFC. We get to know how the Japanese celebrate Christmas by ordering buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken; it's so popular that people need to make reservations in advance. We also get to know how KFC's corporate offices in Japan offer lunch-time "Kentucky Fried Chicken University" training sessions for its employees to maintain the global standard.

To have a complete picture of cultural diversity, David Chang takes us further down South to Nashville, where we explore the food scene's old-school ways. David and food writer John T. Edge visit "Princess's Hot Chicken Shack" a restaurant that has been serving Nashville-style hot chicken since the 1930s. David also goes on to say how it's weird that hot chicken, a revered dish among black communities, is now served at fancy bars and restaurants with a minimal connection to its cultural origins.

David does not fail to take us to the favorite local joint and order a plate of hot chicken at a standard takeaway joint. This where we see how a young white guy runs the restaurant. He tells us that he learned to cook not because it was trendy but because he wanted to serve the best fried chicken in the neighborhood.

In the final segment of the episode, David Chang meets Yao Ming, the retired basketball champion and a Chinese restaurant owner, to talk about American style fried chicken's popularity in China. In his anecdotal manner, David enquires about how the Chinese view the dish. Whether it's a symbol of American cultural imperialism, or do the Chinese perceive it as a novelty that is here to stay. Yao and David have a great conversation about the misconceptions around cultural appropriation. Yao tells us about how Jews in America eating Chinese food on Christmas day is a prime example of how cultures borrow from each other to make things better.

In conclusion, Ugly Delicious Season 1, episode 6, "Fried Chicken" is an ode to soulful food that not only nourishes the stomach but also binds people to their roots. David Chang takes us through the deep-rooted history of the dish in African-American culture, its global popularity, and how it's now part of a plethora of cultural identities. The episode upholds well-researched storytelling and a heartwarming portrayal of fried chicken's cultural significance.