Meat & Co. Steakhouse launches with modern twist on American fine-dining

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Meat & Co. Steakhouse launches with modern twist on American fine-dining

Published: 11 Dec. 2022, 15:09 Updated: 12 Dec. 2022, 19:07

Damien Selme is the executive chef at Andaz Seoul Gangnam in Gangnam District, southern Seoul. [ANDAZ SEOUL GANGNAM]

Classic American steakhouse meets fine dining at a newly refurbished restaurant inside the five-star hotel Andaz Seoul Gangnam in southern Seoul.

Previously called Meat & Co., the restaurant had a European flair, both in its dishes and the venue’s atmosphere. The entire menu and concept have since been overhauled, and with a new name, Meat & Co. Steakhouse, it opened as an upscale American restaurant in November.

Behind the launch is Korean-born French chef, Damien Selme. As the executive chef at Andaz Seoul Gangnam, a luxury hotel that is part of the Hyatt brand, he has taken the helm of the launch from conceptualizing the interior and engineering the new menu.

"The new Meat & Co. Steakhouse has classic American steakhouse dishes prepared and served with a modern twist, with the main focus on U.S. and Korean beef cuts,” said Selme during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on Thursday.

“We have worked on the restaurant's mood as well so that when guests come to Meat & Co. Steakhouse, they can experience exquisite meats in a cozy dining hall.”

Dishes from Andaz Seoul Gangnam's new Meat & Co. Steakhouse in Gangnam District, southern Seoul [ANDAZ SEOUL GANGNAM]

Selme joined the Hyatt brand in 2017 and worked as the Chef de Cuisine at Park Hyatt Busan for one year from 2017, then as Executive Sous-Chef at Park Hyatt Shanghai from 2018 to 2021. He has been leading the kitchen at Hyatt’s Andaz Seoul Gangnam with a team of some 50 chefs since January.

The biggest challenge of the launch, said the chef, was producing authentic American dishes and cuts of meat. He leaned on the expertise of Ian Tozer, a British chef and restauranteur with decades-long experience in American cuisine.

“When you learn French cuisine, you have the base to cook any Western style, but having someone who actually worked in the United States and understands 100 percent the philosophy behind the original taste, is different,” said Selme. “Chef Ian helped not only with food but also with the wine list that matches the food and the whole steakhouse concept."

The newly-designed interior of Andaz Seoul Gangnam's Meat & Co. Steakhouse in Gangnam District, southern Seoul [ANDAZ SEOUL GANGNAM]

Tozer is best known as founder and executive chef of Roti, a U.S.-style grill and rotisserie, in Tokyo's entertainment district Roppongi. He has worked in the States for some 10 years as an executive chef and sous chef in hotels and restaurants. He also worked with the Hyatt group, as an Executive Sous Chef for Hyatt Regency Kyoto in Japan from 2020 to November this year.

The main steak dishes at Meat & Co. Steakhouse include U.S. Beef Tenderloin (45,000 won ($34.60) for 160 grams) and Striploin (45,000 won for 180 grams) as well as local beef such as 28-Day Dry-Aged Korean Hanwoo Bone-in Rib Eye (390,000 won for 1.5 kilograms) and T-bone Steak (280,000 won for 900 grams).

It also offers the option of a classic dry rub in the style of New York, Chicago or Texas, and three kinds of flavored butter — rosemary garlic, black truffle and blue cheese.

Main steak menu at Andaz Seoul Gangnam's Meat & Co. Steakhouse in Gangnam District, southern Seoul [ANDAZ SEOUL GANGNAM]

A la carte and dessert menus also include steakhouse favorites such as Crab Cake with Louisiana Remoulade Sauce (28,000 won), Caramelized Onion Soup (16,000 won) and New York Cheese Cake with Berry Coulis (14,000 won).

But the dishes aren’t without a modern and local twist, said Selme, who has adapted the menu to suit the Korean palate, which tends to prefer less salty and greasy foods.

Ever since Selme reconnected with his Korean roots, he has been very invested in learning about local culture and food.

“I first came to Korea just on a vacation to learn about my roots and find my birth mother,” he said. “After a few days I became so interested in Korean culture that I decided to stay longer, and then I met my wife and we now have a son. So Korea is really a part of me and a part of my life. I strongly believe that it was my destiny to come back here. I say that my culture is French but my heart is Korean. Half of my life was French and now, the other half has become Korean.”

Selme said that he plans to continue his stay in Korea.

"Right now I am proud to be able to teach everything I have learned to my team in Andaz Seoul Gangnam. They are hungry for knowledge with a strong passion to learn and grow [...] In the future, I hope I still can enjoy teaching while focusing more on the overall cuisine development, project and image in Korea so Korea can be a world-known country for its cuisine."

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]