I am Gloria PooLumJong Longsworth, the chef of Mile High Kimchi. My cooking soul is made up of all different cultures across the globe—from Korea to America to Europe.
I was born and raised in a small town in South Korea. My family was comprised of 3 generations living together and every year my family celebrated my grandfather’s birthday and invited the entire village of over 100 people. My family cooked 30 different foods for 3 days! I grew up cooking various Korean cuisines with my grandmother and mother.
In 2005 I left South Korea for South Carolina to pursue my Master’s degree. Since then I have lived across the USA and Europe while obtaining my PhD degree and working as an MSW and a research fellow.
While living abroad, I could not afford to go to Korean restaurants because it was too expensive. Plus, it was never as good as my grandmother’s and mother’s.
I started preparing my own kimchi for my survival. One day in Germany I wanted to make radish kimchi but could not find the right radishes. I found German turnips at a local farmer’s market that turned out to make crunchier radish kimchi than regular kimchi! This experience opened my eyes and inspired me to experiment and incorporate different fresh ingredients from the local markets to my cooking.
My family ended up moving to Colorado for my husband’s rehabilitation after his stroke. I met my soulmate, Gabe, in Germany. He was a civilian working for the US government. We married in Copenhagen, Denmark and have been raising our daughter in Germany, Hawaii, South Korea, and now Colorado.
While living in South Korea before Colorado, my husband had a massive stroke and almost died. Fortunately, we had so much support from friends and families all over the world and were able to find the right rehab hospital. We had to do an emergency medical evacuation to Craig Rehabilitation Hospital in Englewood, Colorado. When Gabe was able to start talking again, he said, “I want to settle in Colorado. Every single person I’ve met in Colorado is very kind, and I love the mountains.”
We decided to settle in Englewood in 2022, and this is the way. Despite being in a traumatic situation, we have never given up enjoying life with friends. We often invite our friends for Korean dinner and I treat my friends with the authentic taste of kimchi, which is different from store-bought and made with love.
We’ve rebuilt our life in Colorado and I’ve considered working as an MSW or Research fellow again but I am not able to as I’m a full-time caregiver. I started Mile High Kimchi because cooking for my people and sharing my culture has brought me so much happiness and fulfillment during this time of my life. This business under Colorado Cottage Food Law helps me stay home to support my family and work at the same time.
My mom always told me:
“Do not let your friends go with an empty stomach. Treat them as your family and make sure their stomachs are filled with good food and love.”
These are the values I bring to Mile High Kimchi. My kimchi can bring a brightness and never-give-up spirit to you. My kimchi is also a bridge from my grandma’s and mom’s generations, to my generation, and to my daughter‘s.
Please join Gloria’s Mile High Kimchi.
