There are two types of palace food: regular food that people eat daily and banquet for special occasions such as celebrations, ceremonies, and treats for guests. Meals served to the king is called “Soo Ra” and the presentation of the food on a table is called Soo Ra Sang.

On Soo Ra Sang, 12 different side dishes cooked in different cooking methods are served. These are a cooked vegetable dish, a fresh vegetable dish, a cold baked dish, stew, preserved food, dry side dish, fermented fish sauce, Jeon Yoo Hwa, poached eggs, raw fish and hot baked dish. In addition to these 12 side dishes, two different types of steamed rice(regular white rice and the one with red beans), three kinds of kimchi(Jutgookji, Songsongee, watery kimchi), two kinds of Jochi(soup:Tojang Jochi and Jutgook Jochi), three kinds of paste-type sauces(soy bean sauce, Chojang, Chogochoojang(sour red pepper paste)), and a steamed dish. In addition to the 12-kind Soo Ra Sang, the drama Dae Jang Geum introduces diverse kinds of palace food, which people have seen rarely and various traditional liquors including Doo Gyeon Joo, Do Hwa Joo and Gook Hwa Joo(made of chrysanthemum).