Beer, chipotle and Shin Ramyun: Mexican chef's unique take wins Korean ramyeon contest

Mexican cook and content creator Borrecito, whose real name is Jesus Manuel Ponce Ruiz, never planned to compete in a Korean ramyun contest, let alone visit South Korea. Yet he ended up taking home first place with a recipe that gave one of the country's best-known instant noodles a distinctly Mexican twist.

His winning creation, dubbed "Lager Spicy Butter Ramyun," combines Nongshim's Shin Ramyun with chipotle paste, beer, butter and lemon zest, accompanied by a grilled chicken skewer.

The recipe beat out entries in the Global Ramyun Challenge, which attracted 1,263 applicants from 80 countries, held as part of the Gumi Ramyun Festival from Nov. 6 to 8 in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province. Culinary influencers representing 13 countries had advanced to the final round of the competition.

But perhaps the most surprising part of Borrecito's story is how he ended up in the competition in the first place.

"My wife and I were planning a trip to South Korea for next year, and while she was researching places to visit and things to do, she came across several content creators talking about the Gumi Ramyun Challenge," Borrecito, who is now back in Mexico, told The Korea Herald.

His wife eventually found the competition's official website and encouraged him to apply.

"What started as research for a vacation ended up becoming one of the most exciting experiences of my culinary career," he said.

"And the funny thing is, I ended up visiting Korea even before our original trip!"

It was his first visit to the country, and he returned to Mexico with 1 million won ($750) in prize money, a first-place certificate and a new title: ambassador of the Gumi Ramyun Challenge.

For Borrecito, the ambassador role was particularly meaningful.

"As a Mexican cook and content creator, I love sharing culinary experiences and connecting people through food," he said. "So having the opportunity to help introduce Gumi and its food culture to audiences in Mexico and other parts of the world is something I'm really proud of."

During the festival, Borrecito had the opportunity to share his noodles with visitors, but when he poured beer instead of water to cook the noodles, many Koreans were shocked, to say the least.

He explained that the use of beer was intentional and that cooking with it is actually quite common in Mexico, particularly in grilled meats, marinades and sauces.

"I decided to use beer because it brings a subtle bitterness, malty notes and additional depth to the sauce. It also helps balance the richness of the butter and the smoky heat of the chipotle," he explained.

"When you reduce beer with toasted onions, garlic, soy sauce and chipotle, you get a really interesting combination of flavors."

But beer wasn't the only ingredient that caught people's attention. A Korean visitor who tasted his dish was particularly curious about the bright, citrusy note in the dish. When Borrecito explained that the secret ingredient was lemon zest, he said the visitor was surprised and loved the idea.

"That’s exactly what I love about cooking: taking ingredients and techniques from different cultures and creating something that surprises people in a delicious way," he said.

Try Borrecito's Lager Spicy Butter Ramyun recipe↗

Borrecito's experiments with Korean instant noodles don't stop at beer and lemon zest.

Another of his creations, which he calls "Black Ramyun," transforms Shin Ramyun into an almost entirely black noodle dish using toasted black sesame paste and black garlic.

The sauce combines the two ingredients with soy sauce, peanut oil, rice vinegar, noodle cooking water and a little of the original Shin Ramyun seasoning.

Once the noodles are coated in the glossy black sauce, he finishes the dish with a single raw egg yolk in the center, which adds creaminess when mixed into the noodles.

Get the full Black Ramyun recipe↗

"What I love about this recipe is that it looks quite dramatic, but the ingredients are actually very simple," he said.

"It's a great example of how you can transform instant ramyun into something completely different by experimenting with flavors, textures and presentation."

Now back home in Mexico after a grueling 32-hour journey from South Korea, Borrecito said the experience went well beyond winning a cooking competition.

"Of course, winning first place was an unforgettable moment, but what made this trip truly special was the people I met along the way. I had the opportunity to connect with amazing people from different countries, share stories, cook together and build friendships that I hope will last for many years," he said.

He was also particularly touched by the warmth and hospitality of the people of Gumi, who made the city feel like a home away from home.

"Honestly, it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life."