Could Korean food become the next favorite in America?

Without a doubt, Korean cuisine has been garnering a following in the United States, especially in Los Angeles and New York, where Kogi Korean BBQ-To-Go (a fusion Korean taco truck) and Korean-American chef David Chang of the Momofuku enterprise (an innovative quartet of restaurants that serve up dishes incorporating global culinary flavors and techniques, including that of Korea) are giving bulgogi and kimchi a drastic makeover.

But is Korean food truly on the brink of becoming American's next favorite Asian grub? The Korea Herald interviewed the authors of two recently published Korean cookbooks, “The Korean Table” and “Kye Kim's Modern Korean Cooking” (Bookhouse Publishers, 22,000 won), to find out.

“There are food trends in America,” said Kye Kim in a phone interview.

“There was a Mexican trend, then Chinese, then Japanese sushi. And then, from some point in time, interest in Korean cuisine started to form ... Korean food is practically a trend.”

Last October, Kim held a cooking class in Michigan, where she currently resides, for 20 students. Only three were Korean.

Food columnist Kim's second cookbook targets young professionals, second-generation Korean-Americans and non-Koreans. The colorful tome presents recipes in both Korean and English and also has an entire section devoted to kimchi.

“Kimchi is a very popular side dish,” wrote Kim, 56, via e-mail.

Debra Samuels, co-author of “The Korean Table,” seems to be a fan of the spicy, fermented vegetables herself.

“I just had kimchi jjigae for dinner,” said Samuels, 57, over the phone, a dish she recommends American beginners to try their hand at when they pick up “The Korean Table.”

Samuels, a food writer and food stylist for “The Boston Globe,” collaborated with Tokyo-based Korean ex-pat Taekyung Chung to produce a cookbook for American cooks.

“The Korean Table” provides recipes for the hit trinity of Korean dishes — kimchi, bulgogi and bibimbap. It also brings in popular newcomers: tofu and wraps.

“Americans like wraps —- sandwich wraps, burritos and so we thought about this almost like a Korean taco,” said Samuels of the traditional dish, gujeolpan, also included in “The Korean Table.”

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