Jacki Koh‘s winning recipe for Recipe to Riches Hors d’Oeuvres category has become PC Triple “S” Korean Meatballs. Which totally confused me. I loved the idea of the meatballs being called Empress Meatballs. It absolutely had personality and was memorable. When I received the package, I was like, “Triple ‘S’?” What is what about?
Of course it is to emphasize the sweet, spicy and savoury flavours of the meatballs but is it a memorable name? No. I feel like they dropped the ball. There is no personality to the name and the depiction of Jacki as a materialistic jet-setting woman is offensive to me. Yes, she is definitely a self-proclaimed diva but this recipe was all about her Korean heritage, not her diamond ring.
The Product
I was impressed with how many meatballs come in a package! If you are throwing a party and want a sizeable amount for friends, this will do for a small party for sure.
Even frozen, these meatballs looks damn spicy! I had to bake them in the oven, there was no microwave directions which is fine with me.
We originally had these with mashed potatoes because we were both sick and completely out of food. I did not realize they had pork in them too, sorry Reg! (He doesn’t usually eat pork.)
Yes, they are spicy. Very spicy. A slow-burn kind of heat and I found it dominated everything else. The sweet and the savoury were there but I was very grateful we were having our dinner with a homemade strawberry milkshake to take off the edge.
For me, the worst part is they were dry. So dry! I love how Jackie fought in the episode to have fresh onion juice, even if it meant that she might end up disqualified for running out of time. It is clear not just from the taste but the list of ingredients that onion juice has been replace by onion powder.
Not only are these dry but the texture is unpleasant. I am sure Jackie is not happy with the results of the product and I would not be either. There is no way that this meatball is anywhere close to the one that beat Benjamin Greenbery’s Curry Crab Sticks. I give this product two out of five wooden spoons.
The Show
I thought this show was about food. About home cooks sharing their best recipes. During the final judging phase it was clear that one judge in particular, Tony Chapman, did not like Ms. Koh. He pretty much scowled at her at one point, especially because of the use of the term “Empress” for the name of the product which Jackie did not come up with herself. It was her marketing team’s idea. And so far, the judges seem to hate everything the marketing groups come up with.
Yes, Jackie is a big personality but who cares?! This is about food. Right?! I actually really liked Jackie. She showed integrity, passion and determination. I started to wonder what the judges would think of me on the show. They would have hated me too (I don’t work well with others and am a total control freak) but that would never have crossed my mind because it is supposed to be about the food!!!
They stereotyped her as a materialistic human being when really her recipe was about honouring her father’s recipe and her Korean heritage. To say I am annoyed and offended by the packaging is a huge understatement. Also, if they could not mass produce meatballs with fresh onion juice, they should not have chosen the recipe as a contender.
I am really getting tired of them changing the recipes so much that they either make the food worse or it ends up being another product entirely. So far the only product that has stayed true to the original recipe has been Tracey Rigden’s brownies. It will be interesting to see what this week’s contender brings to the table. Whatever it is, I hope it stays true not just to the recipe but to the foodie too.
I’ve noticed that with other food competition shows too. The first season starts off by being about the food. Any subsequent seasons, however, seem to be more about finding the most obnoxious or stereotyped people they can present for viewers to dislike. Too bad it’s happening to this show too.
This was the first time it happened on the show Debra and it’s such a shame. Jackie really rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, I’ve had lots of people write me and say they didn’t like her and I just don’t get it. Who cares?! I hope it doesn’t continue. I won’t be able to watch.
Hey Suzie, one thing we’ve noticed this year is that the whole marketing team session is a waste of time. They don’t use the name, the packaging, the logo, or any of it.
I’m really un-impressed with a lot of the products this year, the value just isn’t there. The meatballs are selling for the same price as the other meatball packs that have three times the number of meatballs in them.
So far this year we’ve only tried two of them, (the bees nests, and the chili/polenta ones) and neither of them was really what the contestant showed, and really, I didn’t think either of them were all that special.
Reason #785 why I love you. Not only am I ticked by the way Jackie has been represented, it’s been shocking to see the bullying going on the R2R Facebook page.
I have been fortunate to have struck up a friendship with Jackie and she is fabulous – but then, most strong, outspoken women are 🙂
I’m making Jackie’s meatballs this weekend for my video channel and am going to compare her original recipe with the frozen version… should be interesting!
Hello Lyndsay, it’s been a long time! I happened to visit this page searching for my own recipe of smoky korean meatballs as represented by the network online…..thanks for sticking up for me. I trust you are well and happy with your fabulous husband. xoxo Jackie
Honesty I feel the same way as you guys.. though my significant other got the opposite reaction from Jackie.
I didn’t like how she insulted the other contender in the waiting room as they waited for the final judges decision but overall she seems like a strong woman and I can see myself coming off like her as well (and probably the judges not liking me either!) It could also be that because of her accent (which I notice with many people who speak english as a second language) she goes right to the point and is very direct in the way she speaks and maybe that’s what the judges saw as her “arrogance”
Nigel, I totally agree about the marketing company. Everything they suggest hurts the contestants in the end. The price of the products are helping produce the show so I can understand why they would be a bit more. I actually thought a lot of meatballs came in that package.
Lindsey, you are a sweetie! Oh no, I didn’t know there was bullying going on. That sucks! Yes, I adore outspoken women too and I can’t wait to hear how your meatballs turn out. Let me know OK?!
Bella, when you say insult, do you mean the comment about his food being… oh man, was too it too salty? It wasn’t very positive to do that, it’s true. Good point about the cultural issue and her having to be very direct. It kind of makes me glad I wasn’t allowed to be on the show, people would have HATED me!
Suzie, thank you for your warm sentiments and support of words. This was my very first cooking contest and boy, oh boy, it still hurts today. I learned that the production of any show on tv is for the viewership. It’s all about entertainment, and rightfully so, as I trust they spent a lot of money to produce Recipe to Riches. As for my character, someone in the production team decided I would be better “marketed” as a cold, materialistic diva and I quickly became crafted as one in the eyes of some. It’s a long story, but as Marshall McLuhan put it: “the medium is the message”. We filmed it over three solid days…..there’s so much filming. What you saw in a one hour show was only a small fragment of the total volume. If only you could’ve been there. Jackie
Thank you so much for coming by Jackie! And I bet, it would hurt me too. So brutal and totally unfair. Can’t believe you got pegged that way and then “marketed” to be the villain. The show sure did not start out that way and people loved it. Why they had to go that route makes no sense to me whatsoever. I wish I had been there to show the truth!!!
Yep that’s what I meant. And I would not participate on the show either mostly because I’d hate for them to change my recipe in the final outcome and for the public to hate it, I think that would be very unfair. I’m not a fan of packaged foods anyway.
Suzie, I hope this comment gets posted as this is my third attempt. Thanks very much for such a refreshing comment and those of Nigel, Bella, Lyndsay…wow, you guys are awesome. I feel as though so much hurt from all the “bullying” I’ve recieved has been washed away being on this page. Thanks Nigel, you hit the point at heart. My direct response in the waiting room was not at all how it was. It was a conversation between Benji and I (we spent a lot of time together as Lyndsay would tell you) where he asked if I tried his food and I said yes and he asked what I thougt of it and my answer was long and methodical and the only negative part was that it was “a bit too salty for my taste”. That was a honest opinion I had of his food which I felt could be considered in the future regardless of who won the competition and I sincerely felt that it would make his food perfect. Yes, I am very upset the PC version is getting a horrible review and it is nothing like my original recipe. I understand that they had to change it to make it commercial and affordable etc. and we all signed off our rights to what PC does with our recipes. Only, I am upset that I am not just bullyed but am criticized for making bad food. I’d love you to taste my meatballs. Jackie
One more thing,,the recipe online is not what I gave PC fyi. 😉
Jackie, I am so glad coming here has been healing for you. My heart absolutely goes out to you. How you were treated and portrayed was terrible and I knew that you meant those words about the crab cakes in a helpful way. I would have done the same thing. And I am so upset that the online recipe isn’t your recipe! Please let me know where I can find yours. Feel free to paste is here in the comments or you could always email me: sueridler at gmail dot com.
Suzie, thanks again for your healing words. The online recipe is close enough to get the taste I wanted to create, just not exact. Lindsay made a video of the recipe and received a fabulous endorsement from her husband who was exposed to some fantabulous tasting foods Lindsay created. Try making them using the same recipe but change the pear juice to puree of Asian pear from Shingo region, South Korea, and use times ten of the posted amount finely grated fresh ginger, 6Tbsp finely chopped green onion and barbecuing them directly over the greying charcoal bbq turning them often so as not to lose any lovely juice and ever so gently to keep them together. People who were privileged to try them said, “They are to die for.” Happy cooking!!
You are most welcome Jackie! I’m glad I can help. Wonderful that Lindsey made them and her husband loved them, yay! Wow, they really held back on the ginger didn’t they? Thanks for your instructions Jackie, so helpful and good luck with the contest!