The King’s mother Queen says there’s no need to continue with the competition in that case. The Queen and the King ask the mother Queen to allow Jang-Geum to continue. The King’s mother Queen agrees.
Next Jang-Geum presents tendered rib. Choi presents triple-cooked shrimp. Court Lady Min, the other kitchen maids, the child maids, and Choi Pan Sul with his messenger watch.
Court Lady Han escapes while Min Jung Ho and his soldiers arrive. The soldiers escort Han back to the palace while Min investigates.
Jang-Geum prepares the main course. Yun-Saeng expresses her concern at their lack of ingredients to make the eight fruit soup that Court Lady Han wanted. Jang-Geum tells Yun-Saeng to give her space alone and takes out her mother’s recipe book for strength.
Court Lady Choi and Jang-Geum present their course. Choi presents a stew of soft-pork meat combined with ginseng. Jang-Geum presents her dish and the royal family seems disappointed at the sight of the chicken soup. But the mother Queen shows interest after a bite and asks what she used. Jang-Geum states cabbage, garlic, chicken, etc. The king interrupts and wants to know what is the ingredient that gives the dish such aromatic spicy flavor. Jang-Geum replies the secret ingredient is tiger liver.
Han arrive. The maids tell her Jang-Geum is losing. Duk-Gu asks if Han is okay.
The Queen and King agree that Jang-Geum should win this round. The on-lookers cheer. Duk-Gu urges Han to hurry and take over the competition but Han says the competition belongs to Jang-Geum.
Second main course, Choi presents bone marrow rice. Jang-Geum presents a special bone marrow rice that gives a cool feeling after eating which will get rid of the greasy taste of the previous course. The royal family praises Jang-Geum for making such a thoughtful dish. The on-lookers cheer for Jang-Geum again. Choi is becoming angry but Geum-Young says she will surely win the next round. Jang-Geum sees that Han is back. Han gives a smile and signals to continue.
Final course is a dessert. The mother queen tastes the fruits and asks Choi and Jang-Geum what they each consider as their best dish today. Jang-Geum states she was unable to cook the best dish of eight fruit soup that Han wanted, however she made a dish that she considers her own best. Jang-Geum states it’s wild berry dessert and presents the dish. The Queen asks why. Jang-Geum states wild berry is the last food that she washed and fed to her dying mother. Her mother, upon eating the berries, left the world with a soft smile on her face. Jang-Geum states she prepared the food with the love she has for her mother. The King and the Queen is touched by Jang-Geum’s words. The King tries the dessert and states it’s delicious and he will not forget her love toward her mother. The King states wild berries are his favorite food. And that Jang-Geum is the best cook of Royal Kitchen. The mother Queen is surprised by her son’s enthusiasm. The King interrupts and states the results are still in the mother Queen’s hands. He is merely expressing how impressed he is by the maid servant. The Queen tells the mother Queen she wishes to meet the mentor of a such skilled maid. The King concurs he wants to see Court Lady Han. Han is brought before the Royal family. The mother Queen states she will honor her son’s joy and states Han is the new head of Royal Kitchen. Geum-Young and Choi are pissed.
Jang-Geum goes back to the kitchen and weeps, in reminiscence of her deceased mother. Han walks in and embraces Jang-Geum with teary smile. Meanwhile, Choi and Geum-Young weep at their anger and loss.
Jung Sang Gong goes back to her chamber with signs of a struggling health.
Han Sang Gong and Jang-Geum chat. Jang-Geum asks Han the details of her capture. Han states it seems the incident was meant to prevent her from attending the competition.
Chan-Ee and Court Lady Min cook for Jang-Geum.
At night Jang-Geum brings out her recipe book and thanks her mother for helping her.
Min Jung-Ho arrive. Jang-Geum thanks Min Jung Ho for helping with Han’s situation. Min states Jang-Geum was beautiful at the feast today. And that her words were beautiful just as well.
Min: “that beautiful image, it shall stay in my heart deeply for a long time”.
Jang-Geum: “if you say it like so then i don’t know what to say” (blushing).
Min Jung Ho to his department and finds out the man he captures yesterday has been let go. He asks why and the other official states he already did an investigation and that guy is innocent. Min is suspicious about the matter.
Duk-Gu gets scolded by his wife again over some chore. Duk-Gu runs outside and runs into the arriving Min. Min Jung Ho asks if he is sure that the boat Han got on was headed for Ma-Poh city. Duk-Poh states yes. Then the two go to the town bar. Duk-Poh introduces Min to the hostess who tells them a lot of high-ranked officers from the palace visit their inn, including Right Prime Minister Oh.
In a different room, Oh is meeting with Choi Pan Sul. Oh expresses his anger that Choi didn’t take care of the matter well. Choi Pan Sul apologizes and hands him a letter with money.
Court Lady Jung visits the mother Queen and the Queen and states she is not well health-wise and asks for retirement. The mother Queen says the King will be disappointed but sets the formal retirement of Jung in 4 days.
Jae-Jo Sang Goon gives the news to Choi Sang Goon who says she will not easily give up the head position to Jan Sang Goon. She intends to contact all the Sang Goon’s who have received help from her family in the past to help her.
Jung tells Han she will be the new head in 4 days. Han states she is ill-prepared but Jung says she must see that Han successfuly takes over her position before she becomes any weaker. Jung brings Han to the kichen and announces to all the maids that Han will be their new boss in 4 days.
Choi gathers her supports to plan a strike. Young-Noh releases her anger on the children by yelling at them and threatening to hit them.
Chan-Ee brings textile specialists to get Han’s measurements for new outfits.
Yun-Saeng is in Court Lady Jung’s room while the medicine maid checks on her heath. The medicine maid leaves. Yun-Saeng begins to weep seeing that Jung is in pain and shows sadness that Jung is leaving. Jung gives Yun-Saeng a loving hug and words of endearment.
Yun-Saeng goes to the kitchen and tells Han Sang Gong that Jung Sang Gong wishes to see her. Han goes to see Jung who tells her in just a day she will leave this palace that has been suffocating her. Jung tells Han the palace is a difficult place to survive but she believes that Han will succeed. Han stands to give Jung a bow but Jung stops her by saying one does not bow before a sick person and leaves. Han-sg is left weeping by herself, as Jung is leaving the palace, to die outside of palace.
Jung Sang Gong goes to Jae-Jo Sang Gong and gives her a bow, and states she knows she has caused a lot of trouble for Jae-Jo Sang Gong in the past but begs for Jae-Jo Sang Gong to send all her hatred toward her and leave Han alone. Jung also goes to see Choi and asks for Choi to let it all the things behind her.
The day of the retirement and hand-over arrives. No one shows up at the ceremony except Jung Sang Gong, Han Sang Gong, Jang-Geum, and Yun-Saeng. Choi Sang Gong and Jae-Jo Sang Gong, and all their supporters are together as a protest, saying the competiton wasn’t fair since Han was supposed to be the cook and they don’t want the kitchen head to be someone like Han who is from a servant family. Jung arrives and shows her anger by saying she is still the kitchen lead and how dare they behave such way. Then Jung passes out.