Johncook Deli Meats opened its Salami Museum on Thursday, the first of its kind in Korea.

Though it bills itself as a museum, the space is more of a showroom next to its factory in Hannam-dong, central Seoul. Admission is free.

Visitors can observe how various types of salami are fermented, at the around 30-square-meter establishment. 

“We began to work with salami 20 years ago, finding ways to consume good meat in good ways,” said Cho Sung-su, CEO of the food company S Food, which runs Johncook Deli Meats, at a press event Thursday.

“Salami is a work of art that explores mold in traditional Italian style. It is the science of fermentation,” Cho said. “We’d like to suggest a trend. In Korea, we always grill meat. But there are other healthier, more delicious ways of curing meat.”

Many traditional charcuteries in Italy open their cellars to the public, in an effort to share the production process with more people and increase appreciation of their products, he added.

At the museum, visitors can observe how Bloomy Salami goes through an air-drying process. Its name was inspired by how some fermented cheese, such as camembert or brie, are called bloomy cheese.

Bloomy Salami is the brand’s latest product, developed in collaboration with an Italian maestro from Lombardy. It is touted as being lower in acidity compared to American ones. It will be distributed to local retailers in spring next year. 

“The white coat of mold on the surface resembles how cherry blossoms bloom in spring. Isn’t it beautiful?” Cho said of the product.

On the first floor, a charcuterie ran by the brand dishes out various tapas dishes made with in-house products. It also sells imported charcuteries. 

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)