Korean consul general visits Amma canteen

MADURAI : The consul general of Republic of Korea, who was in the city to take part in a Korean music program, visited one of the Amma canteens here on Friday. He was accompanied by a team of corporation authorities, including the mayor.
This is consul general Kyungsoo Kim’s third visit to the city, and he called on mayor V V Rajan Chellappa for the second time in the last three months.
Kyungsoo Kim, who was interested in the concept of quality food at cheap prices, visited the canteen inside the Government Rajaji Hospital.
He watched the food being prepared and received a brief about the functioning and number of canteens run by the city corporation. He tasted the sambar and curd rice prepared at the outlet, and conveyed his appreciation for the self-help groups who did the cooking.
Kyungsoo Kim commented that he had wanted to visit an Amma canteen outlet ever since he came to hear about it. “It is amazing that the food is provided at such cheap prices. The food served in the canteen is prepared of high quality. It is also hygienically prepared. It tastes like five-star hotel food,” he said. He appreciated the efforts that brought quality food to poor people at reduced prices.
According to him, it was possible to set up such quality canteens in any country, including Korea. He vouched to take the idea back to his country and convey it to the authorities there. A canteen like this symbolized compassion to the neighbourhood, and ensuring quality food also meant that we could ensure an ideal society, he said.
He pointed out that this was his third visit to the city. “I have come here with my percussion music concert. There are some similarities in the music between Tamil Nadu and Korea, like some similarities in food. Some of the (food) varieties can be tasted at the programme,” he said.