The Korea Herald

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Star chefs collaborate for 'Taste of Seoul 2023'

By Hwang Joo-young

Published : Sept. 18, 2023 - 17:59

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Gyuban's lunch set (SMG) Gyuban's lunch set (SMG)

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is hosting “Taste of Seoul 2023,” a weeklong event that runs through Friday, featuring a variety of culinary events and programs.

As part of its efforts to promote Seoul's dining scene, the city government published “100 Taste of Seoul 2023," a guidebook in Korean and English in early September. The book lists 100 distinctive restaurants and bars in Seoul alone. It also introduces an additional 50 vegan-friendly dining locations.

The guidebook is also available online at the "Taste of Seoul 2023" official website.

Through Friday, a total of 67 restaurants and eateries, including those introduced in the “100 Taste of Seoul 2023” and hotel restaurants in Seoul, are offering a range of special menus -- from Asian dishes, grilled meat and vegan options to desserts and alcoholic beverages -- at special prices. The list of restaurants can be found on the event's official website.

A variety of tour programs to local bistros, traditional tea houses, rice-wine bars and cooking-class cafes are also available.

Fees for the tour programs range from 60,000 won ($45) to 280,000 won. Reservations can be made via the event's official website. Each tour program is led by English-speaking tour guides.

Tours to some of Seoul's top food spots -- Gwangjang Market, Ikseon-dong and Eulji-ro alleys and the Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market -- are also available.

Gwangjang Market (SMG) Gwangjang Market (SMG)

Traditional markets in Seoul are also offering special programs during the “Taste of Seoul 2023” week.

Six restaurants and bars from six different traditional markets in Seoul -- Geumnam Market, Dongmyo Market, Majang Meat Market, Yeongcheon Market, Seoul Central Market and Mangwon Market -- are offering special dishes and snacks, all made with ingredients and produce from their respective markets.

On Tuesday, Kim Ho-young, who runs Jua, a Korean restaurant in New York; Jeong Sang, who runs Central, a fine dining restaurant in Lima, Peru; and Kim Jeong-ho and Yim Jung-sik of Jungsik Seoul, a Korean fine dining restaurant in Seoul, will present their signature menus at Jungsik Seoul in Cheongdam-dong, for lunch and dinner.

On Tuesday evening, Japanese chef Kanji Kobayashi and Korean chef Kim Eun-hee will showcase a number of delicacies using seasonal ingredients at the Green Table, right next to Changdeokgung in central Seoul.

On Wednesday, Sqirl, a brunch cafe in Los Angeles, and Fritz, a Seoul coffee shop, will collaborate at Fritz in Jongno-gu, central Seoul.

Reservations can be made via the restaurants' and cafes’ official websites or via the Catch Table app.

Poster for Poster for "Taste of Seoul 2023" (SMG)