Which Restaurants Made the List in the First '2021 Michelin Seoul' This Year?

Sevensdoor Enters Michelin 1-Star List for the First Time
Lamancicre, Moony, Mitou Upgraded to 1-Star from Plate Restaurants

[Photo by Sevensdoor Homepage]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] Which restaurant received a Michelin star for the first time in the 'Michelin Guide Seoul 2021'?

According to the Michelin Guide on the 21st, the contemporary restaurant Sevensdoor was newly awarded one Michelin star. One star signifies a restaurant with excellent cuisine. Sevensdoor, operated by Chef Kim Dae-cheon, focuses on fermentation and aging to present deeply thoughtful dishes. The preparation process of modern Korean cuisine is a gourmet journey toward seven flavors: the five basic tastes, the sixth taste achieved through fermentation and aging, and the seventh, the chef’s own sensibility that completes the dish. Last year, Lamang Secret, Muni, and Mitou were upgraded from Plate restaurants to one-star status.

Located on the 26th floor of the L’Escape Hotel, Lamang Secret is a contemporary restaurant. Chef Son Jong-won, who gained experience in the United States, stated that this place pursues a "Korean-style Western cuisine," creating dishes that are fresh yet familiar. Muni is a restaurant run by Chef Kim Dong-wook, who studied in Japan and holds a sake sommelier certification. Mitou, a Japanese restaurant operated by Chefs Kim Bomi and Kwon Young-woon, offers delicate and creative omakase dishes made by changing fresh seasonal ingredients.

Twenty-three restaurants, including Terreno, L’Amiti?, Muoki, Votre Maison, Biche Na, Kojima, and Pierre Gagnaire, were selected as 'one-star' restaurants.

This year, the Michelin Guide introduced a new honor called the Michelin Green Star. The Michelin Green Star highlights the efforts of restaurants and chefs who are at the forefront of sustainable gastronomy and aims to widely promote their vision. For the first time this year, two restaurants were awarded the Michelin Green Star.

'Hwanggeum Kongbat' is a restaurant that uses the freshest local ingredients. It uses beef and legumes from the Sobaeksan region, pork from Jeju, and fish caught at Ikki Island in Tongyeong. Ingredients are sourced through direct transactions with local producers, and tofu and kimchi are prepared fresh daily. Leftover soybean pulp is provided as farm feed to minimize food waste.

'Kkot, Bapepida' sources 95% of its ingredients through direct transactions with farms. It carefully selects only those that have obtained organic certification, eco-friendly certification, animal welfare compliance, pesticide-free cultivation, and biodynamic certification. Moreover, through its own eco-friendly cultivation, it leads the supply of eco-friendly ingredients such as organic rice from Bonghwa Village in Gyeongbuk and traditional soybean paste and soy sauce from Geochang in Gyeongnam.

Meanwhile, La Yeon and Gaon at the Seoul Shilla Hotel maintained their three-star status this year (three stars signify exceptional cuisine worth a special journey).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.