The senior kitchen maids are upset that the Court Ladies picked Jang-Geum and Geum-Young as their assistants. Yeon-Saeng defends Jang-Geum. Jang-Geum begs Court Lady Han to pick someone else since she can’t tastes the flavours. Court Lady Han tells Jang-Geum the reason she can’t pick anyone else is because Jang-Geum has culinary talent and understanding of food that neither Court Lady Han nor Choi nor Geum-Young has. She orders Jang-Geum to show up to practice next day.
Jang-Geum remembers her childhood days when her mother explained to her the ways of food preparation and food-pairing. Court Lady Han tells Jang-Geum to steam the prawn and bean curd steamboat even though she’s never done it and she can’t taste a thing. Jang-Geum makes royal disheswhile Han is watching. Court Lady Han tells Jang-Geum not to taste her own food, rather cook with confidence in her knowledge.
Court Lady Choi tells Geum-Young about the secret recipes that their family has acquired from the previous Head of Royal Kitchen. She wants Geum-Young to practice secretly.