Michelin names new 3-star restaurant for first time in 6 years

Chef Sung Ahn of Mosu, whose Korean name is Anh Sung-jae, center, poses on stage after his restaurant earned three Michelin stars at the Michelin Guide Seoul’s Star Revelation ceremony on Thursday at Vista Walkerhill Seoul in eastern Seoul. [NEWS1]

Seoul got a new Michelin three-star restaurant for the first time in six years, Mosu, and chef Son Jong-won was awarded a single star for a second restaurant, Eatanic Garden. 
 
Since the Michelin published its first guide to Seoul in 2016, the city had only two three-star restaurants for all six years: Gaon and La Yeon. Mosu, which moved to Seoul from San Francisco five years ago and was awarded a single star in 2018, was awarded two stars for the past three years.
 
Michelin announced the stars for the 2023 edition of the Michelin Guide Seoul at an event on Thursday.  
 

An abalone taco at Mosu, which became one of two Michelin three-starred restaurants in Seoul [MICHELIN GUIDE SEOUL]

Mosu’s sommelier and manager Kim Jin-beom won the Sommelier Award.  
 
“Since the day we got our first customer, I’ve always taken things very seriously,” said chef Sung Ahn of Mosu, whose Korean name is Anh Sung-jae. “No matter what praise or criticism I get, I try to stay true to what I do.” Mosu also runs a branch in Hong Kong.
 
In fact, La Yeon at The Shilla Seoul lost its third star in this year’s edition. Besides La Yeon, seven more restaurants were awarded two stars: Alla Prima, Jungsik, Kwon Sook Soo, Mingles, Joo Ok, Kojima and Soigne. Since 2016, Soigne had a single star, but the other six maintained their two-star status. 
 

All the chefs awarded at the Michelin Guide Seoul’s Star Revelation ceremony on Thursday at Vista Walkerhill Seoul in eastern Seoul [MICHELIN GUIDE SEOUL]

Of the 25 one-star restaurants, six were new on the list: Restaurant Kang Minchul, Restaurant Allen, Solbam, Ilpan, Soul and Eatanic Garden. Chef Son Jong-won, who already had a star for his restaurant L’Amant Secret, became the first Korean chef to have a star for two restaurants.  
 

Layers of Korean beef hanwoo and abalone served at Eatanic Garden [MICHELIN GUIDE SEOUL]

Chef Kim Hee-eun and Yoon Dae-hyun of Soul, who also run a restaurant on the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand list, Egg and Flour. That list highlights budget-friendly restaurants where people can dine for 45,000 won or less.
 

Grilled fish served at Soul [MICHELIN GUIDE SEOUL][MICHELIN GUIDE SEOUL]

 
The guide gave a Green Star for sustainability to Gigas, run by chef Jung Ha-wan. Hwanggeum Kongbat and A Flower Blossom on the Rice both maintained green stars from last year.  
 

Fresh produce served at Gigas [MICHELIN GUIDE SEOUL][MICHELIN GUIDE SEOUL]

“Rewarding chef’s courage, passion, and endless search for creativity” is what the Michelin Guide Seoul celebrates, according to its international director, Gwendal Poullennec.  
 
Information on the restaurants can be found online at https://guide.michelin.com/kr/ko, as well as the guide’s mobile application.  
 

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