Cuisine by Koreans around the globe recognized by The Michelin Guide

Food & Travel

Published: 02 Sep. 2022, 17:42

Cuisine by Koreans around the globe recognized by The Michelin Guide

Sancwich made with gamtae, a type of seaweed commonly used in Korea, at Sollip in London [SOLLIP]

Korean cuisine is gathering attention from culinary experts around the world, and the gastronomic institute The Michelin Guide is awarding restaurants run by Korean citizens and descendants across the globe.

Most recently, in August, the global guide by the French tire company gave one star to Singapore’s Nae:um, and in February, one to London’s Sollip — both run by Korean chefs.

Since giving its first star in 2012 to a Korean-born chef who runs a restaurant outside Korea, Yim Jung-sik of Jungsik in New York, it has apparently kept an eye out for new restaurants by Koreans in the United States. While restaurants Jua, Jeju Noodle Bar and more were recognized by the Michelin Guide stateside, the star accolade was rarely given to a Korean elsewhere in the world until this year. Outside the United States, the first star was given to a Korean chef at the restaurant Le Passe Temps in Lyon, France, in 2016, and Singapore's Meta the following year. No others have received the honor until this year.

Abalone with gamtae, a type of seaweed commonly used in Korea, served at Meta in Singapore [META]

These restaurants run by Korean chefs don’t necessarily serve Korean food. Many were trained to cook French, Italian or other contemporary cuisine at school or at restaurants in Korea or overseas. Yet, because they grew up eating Korean food at home, they have a natural sense for what’s seasonal in Korea and what Korean sauce brings out the most flavor in a certain ingredient.

Working against the idea that Korean food is always spicy, some Korean chefs worked on ways to keep the flavors and layers of gochujang, one of the most commonly used seasonings in Korean cuisine, without overemphasizing its spiciness. Doenjang (fermented soy bean paste) is another popular seasoning that gives a dish a more Korean taste, and it’s been widely used not only in cooking savory dishes but also in baking sweeter desserts to bring out gamchimat, otherwise commonly known as umami.

Here, the Korea JoongAng Daily introduces four restaurants run by Koreans in neither Korea nor the United States that have been awarded with a Michelin star.

Nae:um in Singapore

Chef Louis Han, whose Korean name is Han Seok-hyun, is the head chef of restaurant Nae:um, which earned its first star from the Michelin Guide Singapore in August, only about a year after opening its doors.

Chef Louis Han of restaurant Nae:um [NAE:UM]

Categorized as a Korean restaurant, the restaurant sets different themes each season to highlight commonly practiced cultural routines in Korea. Currently, it is offering its fourth episode, titled Han River Sunset, to share the culture of locals in Korea resting by Seoul's river at sunset, and what they eat during their time out by the river.

The chef has been working on collaborative dinners with chefs from Korea and elsewhere to continuously provide diners in Singapore with something different.

@naeum.sg
161 Telok Ayer St. Sinagpore

Sollip in London

Chef Park Woong-chul’s restaurant Sollip also earned its very first star by the Michelin Guide this year. In February, the gastronomic institute’s London edition categorized the restaurant’s cuisine as “creative” and gave it one star for its dishes reflecting the Park's lifelong experiences.

Chef Park Woong-chul of Sollip in London, right, runs the restaurant with his wife and pastry chef Ki Bo-mi. [SOLLIP]

Unique in that although many Korean chefs seek opportunities to work in the capital city Seoul where many culinary talents are gathered, Park spent most of his time in Korea working in the harbor city of Busan and on Jeju Island, studying local ingredients. He has also worked in different cities in the United States and London to give himself a sturdy background with knowledge to create something personal while simultaneously global.

Park runs the restaurant with his wife and pastry chef Ki Bo-mi. They both studied at Le Cordon Bleu’s London campus and worked at restaurants in the city afterwards.

@sollip_restaurant
Unit 1, 8 Melior Street, London

Meta in Singapore

Chef Sun Kim was granted his first Michelin star in 2017 for his “innovative” approach. Having been raised by his mother who ran a Korean food restaurant in Korea, Kim never doubted that his future would involve cooking.

Chef Sun Kim of Meta in Singapore [LEE SUN-MIN]

After studying and working in Australia, he moved to Singapore in 2014 and opened a restaurant the following year. Two years later, the global guide gave him one star. His food isn’t necessarily Korean, the chef explains, but he takes distinctive forms or flavors from some quintessential Korean dishes such as bingsu, shaved ice, and incorporates it into his own. He seeks out ingredients that people oftentimes refuse to use simply because they don’t know how to use it.

His former colleague and sous chef at Meta is chef Louis Han of Na:eum.

@metasingapore
1 Keong Saik Road, Singapore

Le Passe Temps in Lyon

Chef Lee Young-hoon of restaurant Le Passe Temps in Lyon [LE PASSE TEMPS]

Chef Lee Young-hoon of Le Passe Temps in Lyon originally started his restaurant with all Korean staff, even though he serves creative French dishes to his customers. Many of the restaurant's customers and regulars are locals.

One of his signatures is foie gras served in anchovy broth. Not wanting to make the dish's Korean elements the star of the show, he combined ingredients in such a way as to give the dish a hint of Korean taste, to otherwise very traditionally French dishes, such as foie gras.

Hiring more Korean staff was Lee's attempt to provide more opportunities to Koreans wishing to find work in France, so that they can also dream about opening their own restaurants in France or elsewhere abroad. But after relocating the restaurant, he started to welcome staff of other nationalities as well.

@lepassetemps_lyon
52 Rue Tronchet, Lyon, France

BY LEE SUN-MIN [lee.sunmin@joongang.co.kr]