Expand your taste buds with authentic Italian at Sortino’s
Lee Byung-woo, Executive Chef, Lotte Hotel
It’s a popular notion in Western countries, where fine dining has a solid foothold.
In Korea? Not so much.
“Koreans tend to eat out of instinct to fulfill their daily hunger rather than for pleasure,” said Lee Byung-woo, 54, executive chef of the cooking team at Lotte Hotel. Lee, who has worked for nearly three decades in the culinary world, said the food culture here is in its infancy.
Beef carpaccio at Sortino’s in Itaewon, central Seoul. Provided by Sortino’s
“It is now time to create a haute-cuisine culture like in Tokyo, Hong Kong and New York,” he said.
The chef stressed that a change in food culture is a must, adding that the country’s $20,000 per capita income level lends itself well to eating out.
So where should adventurous eaters go to develop their palates?
Lee recommends Sortino’s, an Italian restaurant with an open kitchen located in Itaewon, central Seoul.
Italian chef Santino Sortino, who was previously the head chef at Il Mare in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul, opened the eponymous restaurant in 2006. The Sortino family also runs Villa Sortino and La Bocca, both of which are located in Itaewon as well.
“Since Santino is the restaurant’s owner as well as its chef, every menu is prepared with sincerity because he cares about the restaurant deep down in his heart,” Lee said.
Sortino’s is a casual restaurant that specializes in homemade Italian specialties, emphasizing pizza and authentic pasta dishes with simple presentation.
Lee, who visits the restaurant at least once a month, particularly recommends the beef carpaccio, which he said has an elaborate taste despite its relatively simple recipe.
To reach Sortino’s (02-797-0488), take Itaewon Station, line No. 6, exit 3 and walk toward Cheil Communications. It is open from 12-3:30 p.m. and 5:30-10:30 p.m.
Lee is an award-winning chef who received the Great Chefs of Asia honor in 1996. At the eighth Singapore Salon Culinaire he won a gold medal in the cold food section and a silver in hot food. He is active in external culinary affairs, such as raising awareness of high cuisine and Korean food. Additionally, he created and presented Korean cuisine to leaders at the Asean-Korean summit on Jeju Island last month.
By Lee Eun-joo [angie@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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