A former army cook, he now helms a three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Seoul
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Remarkable Living
A former regular army cook, he now helms a 3-Michelin-starred restaurant in Seoul
Chef Kim Byung-jin presides over Gaon, where Gangnam'southward elite assemble to pamper their palates with beautifully-plated traditional Korean cuisine.
"My cooking is all near being responsible to the ingredients. Merely through practiced ingredients are we able to have adept food," says chef Kim Byung Jin. (Photograph: Threesixzero Productions)
12 Jan 2022 06:30AM (Updated: 16 Aug 2022 03:28PM)
Mention Korean nosh and you automatically recollect of an organised anarchy of small dishes that immediately warm our bellies and hearts. Rarely does it give u.s.a. the impression of pretty, plated creations deserving of iii Michelin stars, until nosotros paid a visit to Gaon.
"Most people call up that Korean food is underrated. We wanted to better on that and tell more people about our cultural heritage in a proper way," explained chief executive chef, Kim Byung-jin. And so Gaon was created to promote a amend understanding of traditional Korean cuisine in a way that gourmands would appreciate.
READ> Who are the K-chefs helping to popularise Korean cuisine effectually Asia?
Located in the middle of Gangnam at Horim Art Center, Gaon is only one of ii fine-dining restaurants in Seoul awarded 3 stars in the Michelin Guide for both 2022 and 2018. The three-storey space is minimalist in blueprint, most like the museum it's situated in, where your simply focus is the culinary journey you lot are about to embark on.
The restaurant applies a very farm-to-tabular array approach in its cooking, using only fresh seasonal ingredients sourced from local suppliers. "Korean cuisine is nutritionally well-balanced. To me, information technology is very good for you and inundation with charm," said Kim with a smiling.
Depending on what'south readily bachelor, the fix carte volition adjust from time to time. Rest assured, in that location volition exist evergreen classics like kimchi and seafood pancake. "In one case the dish has been created and if there is room for improvement, I brand variations of it, instead of removing it after a flavor," revealed Kim.
Through his dishes, yous understand his philosophy and respect for ingredients. "My cooking is all about being responsible to the ingredients. Only through good ingredients are nosotros able to have good food. What chefs handle are primarily ingredients, and so comes the skill," he admitted humbly.
Afterwards xx years in the business – he first started cooking Korean food during his military service, creating daily menus for the Ground forces Principal of Staff'due south residence and during official events – Chef Kim has elevated his cooking into an fine art form where each dish boasts complex flavour profiles deserving of their Michelin stars.
Kim's seafood dishes, in particular, have received the highest praise for their uplifting flavours. "I grew up in the city's inland, so it was hard to come up beyond fresh fish. Every bit I started cooking with fresh seafood, I stepped into a whole new world. The smell, the texture and the gustation, everything that I knew virtually seafood had changed," he enthused.
Operated by the KwangJuYo Grouping, maker of fine ceramic ware and traditional Korean liquor, Gaon's charm lies in its meticulous presentation of dishes on a wide array of handcrafted crockery, which Kim personally designs.
"When I was a junior chef, I preferred to use white crockery because there is more room for food decoration. One day, I realised that the best manner to decorate Korean cuisine is not to do it. The most important thing is to keep the look of Korean cuisine natural," he explained.
Almost every detail in Gaon is purposeful – the decor, the music option, the staff's uniforms – bringing together a certain ideology and aesthetic that the restaurant aspires to attain.
To Kim, the space and factors associated with the whole place affects the diner'due south experience and memories.
"It'due south similar if you ask anyone who the best chef is, everyone will say their mum. It's not almost the taste, but it'south the memory and the feel that makes food great. That'south the office of an award-winning restaurant."
Adapted from the series Remarkable Living (Season three). Lookout total episodes on CNA, every Dominicus at 8.30pm.
READ> From fried chicken to M-beauty, he'due south bringing Korean culture to Singapore
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Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/remarkableliving/gaon-three-michelin-star-restaurant-seoul-south-korea-246786
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