Four years ago, we packed up our life and moved to beautiful Cape May. Ocean breezes? Check. Fresh seafood? Double check. Good kimchi? Crickets.

As a Korean-American who grew up eating kimchi with breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I quickly realized that my options were… limited. The grocery store versions just didn’t cut it—too sour, too bland, too not my mom’s. So I did what any kimchi-deprived person would do: I made my own.

Using my mom’s tried-and-true recipe as a foundation, I tweaked it to suit my taste (which is basically how all great kimchi stories go in Korea—no two batches are exactly the same). It wasn’t long before I had a stash of delicious, tangy, spicy kimchi fermenting away in my fridge. And naturally, I brought a few jars to the local farmers market.

At first, people were curious. “I’ve heard of kimchi, but I’ve never actually tried it,” they’d say, eyeing the jars cautiously. Some brave souls took a chance—and became instant converts. Things really started heating up (pun intended) two years ago at the Cape May Strawberry Festival. We nearly sold out.

That’s when the magic happened.

Fast forward to this spring when the amazing folks at Hooked Up Seafood reached out to see if they could carry Cape May Kimchi at their restaurant. I sent over a batch, they sold out, and then came back for more. And, at this year’s Strawberry Festival: it was a full-blown kimchi craze. We sold out before noon. My cabbage barely had time to ferment!

And now, Scallop Shack Farms will carry our kimchi in their store. Hooked Up Seafood and Scallop Shack Farms—two local gems that value local food and fresh ingredients. Fingers crossed my small-batch kimchi will become a Cape May staple.

These days, I make kimchi exclusively for wholesale orders. It’s not hard to make—but it is a labor of love. Between salting the cabbage, sourcing the specialty ingredients to make the paste, mixing, and the fermentation time, it’s a full-on kitchen commitment. So no individual jars at the farm stand—but you can now find Cape May Kimchi at:

  • Hooked Up Seafood — 1044 W Rio Grande Ave, Wildwood, NJ

  • Scallop Shack Farms — 100 Stevens St, West Cape May, NJ

Why Eat Kimchi (Besides the Obvious Reason That It’s Delicious)?

Kimchi is basically a superfood in a jar. Here’s why:

  • Probiotics: It’s fermented, which means it’s packed with gut-friendly bacteria.

  • Vitamins: High in vitamins A, B, and C.

  • Low-Calorie: Big flavor, small calorie footprint.

  • Anti-inflammatory: Garlic, ginger, and chili flakes do more than taste good.

  • Immune-Boosting: Because your microbiome loves you when you eat kimchi.

So How Do You Eat It?

Most people I meet say they’ve started eating kimchi with eggs in the morning—bravo! But let me share a few more low-effort, high-reward ideas:

  • The Lazy Gourmet Bowl: A bowl of warm rice, a fried egg, kimchi, and a drizzle of sesame oil. That’s it. It’s simple, it’s perfect.

  • Kimchi Pancake: Crispy, savory, and addicting. Here’s a great recipe from Korean Bapsang.

  • Tacos + Kimchi: Make your tacos your way—beef, pork, tofu—and just top with kimchi. Adds crunch and tang that’s next-level.

  • Kimchi Grilled Cheese: Spicy, gooey, crispy goodness. Here’s a top-rated version.

  • Bulgogi & Kimchi: My personal favorite. Bulgogi is marinated Korean beef—sweet, savory, and perfect with kimchi. Here’s a recipe I use.

I hope this little origin story inspires you to give kimchi a try—whether you’re a first-timer or a longtime fan. And if you’re local, skip the grocery store stuff and grab a jar of the good stuff from:

Scallop Shack Farms — 100 Stevens St, West Cape May
Hooked Up Seafood — 1044 W Rio Grande Ave, Wildwood

Your taste buds (and your gut) will thank you.