• Search
  • About
  • blog stories
  • Contact
  • a few of my favorites
  • chicago
  • hawai'i
  • hong kong
  • los angeles
  • manila
  • melbourne
  • new york
  • seoul
  • sydney
  • tokyo
  • vietnam
  • spain
  • portugal
Menu

seoul in the city

Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number

Your Custom Text Here

seoul in the city

  • Search
  • About
  • blog stories
  • Contact
  • a few of my favorites
  • pick your city
    • chicago
    • hawai'i
    • hong kong
    • los angeles
    • manila
    • melbourne
    • new york
    • seoul
    • sydney
    • tokyo
    • vietnam
    • spain
    • portugal

o kitchen

September 12, 2011 sarah lee
IMG_1317.JPG

“What you want is to make things personal. Might not be spectacular, but from there you can say it’s mine.  Personal doesn’t mean it’s bad, it’s just personal.  It’s memorable to you.  Your identity:  who you are, where you were, where you have been.  Everything connects to everything.”

Susumu Yonaguni’s words as I have an afternoon chat over pasta and wine.

This space in a hanok (Korean traditional house) converted to a restaurant, has an energy that words cannot define.  Upon entering, you immediately feel like you want to take off your shoes…like entering your own house.  There is no host, or a manager with a suit, but a chef that will guide you to your table with a smile.

First impression? Hmm…definitely something different.  As you finger through the menu, you will soon notice that there is no front of the house staff! Well, the usual servers with matching uniforms, aprons, or name tags (as this is the common standard in Korea) are no where to be found.  The back of the house runs the show…yup...everything from the kitchen to the main floor…creating dishes, washing dishes, to pouring wine and greeting customers.  I think I would say this is a first of its kind in Seoul, and my excitement grew even before I started on the wine…

IMG_2288.JPG
IMG_2296.JPG

Anago ball filled with sea eel, foie gras, banga-a leaf, Korean bok bun ja (raspberry) sauce to the left...Linguini with grilled mackeral, Korean sesame leaf pesto and mint to the right

So what’s their story?

Owner/chef Susumu Yonaguni, Japanese native, who have lived in multiple countries, is a true artist in all forms.  Always lending an ear to hear your story over a glass of wine, and welcomes you into his home each and every time. O Kitchen.

He’s been a resident here in Korea for 11 years now, and him and his wife Oh Jeong-Mi (Korean native) began a school originally for food styling.  Soon after, they realized that their students needed a space to hone their culinary skills, and Susumu began training their students.  He taught them the basics from soups, sauces, to pasta and meats.  As these students left the school to seek jobs in the industry, there was a lack of opportunities because restaurants/hotels in Seoul did not recognize the school they were trained in.  What did Susumi and his wife decide to do? Open a restaurant of their own for their students to train, and develop their passion for food.  Thus, this is where it all began…

IMG_2274.JPG
IMG_1323.JPG

Their favored starter-the assorted sashimi plate

IMG_3068.JPG

Fettucini, green beans, jambon blanc, mint, pecorino cheese

First location was a 36 seater in Gahoedong near Samchungdong.   Well kept and busy, but at the end of the day Susumu didn’t understand why they were losing money.  He then realized that the food cost was much higher than it should have been (as there was a lot being thrown away), and gave his staff an ultimatum.  “Either you shape up the restaurant in 2 months, or O kitchen will have to close.”  This was a difficult lesson for his staff, as for most of them this was their very first kitchen.  Slowly but surely, things started to unfold.  Short after, they opened OK2 in Itaewon because there was simply not enough space for all their students to ‘train’ in their first location.

“I don’t want my staff to view their work in this kitchen as a job, but should only remain if they want to grow as a chef.  The minute you start thinking that working here is a job, I don’t need you guys…I only want chefs who can be a leader for the next generation.”

There is absolutely no room for ego in his kitchen.  The diverse team of 12 includes some chefs who have trained in Italy, Australia, and Japan.  Susumu’s strong philosophy also includes that ‘knowledge should always be shared…if you are not willing to share, then there is no room for you.’  These chefs will stick around for years, and some will leave to further their studies elsewhere…however O Kitchen remains to be their home base.  They always have a heart to return.

IMG_1342.JPG
IMG_2319.JPG

Susumu and friend/director Benson getting into a serious convo...about what? 

“So what can I do for this country? As a foreigner…I planted a seed, it took years and they are just sprouting…when you die, you carry memories…fun memories, and best time of your life is in your 20’s and 30’s!  This is the best time for you to grow while you have energy.”

Just listening to Susumu gets you excited, and pushes you to the edge to pursue your dreams...

IMG_1333.JPG

Jeju horse carpaccio with soy & carrot sauce, quail eggs

IMG_1338.JPG

Pork belly confit with mint mashed potatoes, served with grilled vegetables

IMG_1341.JPG
IMG_2304.JPG
IMG_2303.JPG

Herb crusted rack of lamb with grilled vegetables, with bagnacauda

IMG_3044.JPG
IMG_3049.JPG

Luv the 'behind the scenes'...and they make all their pasta in house!

IMG_3055.JPG
IMG_3061.JPG
IMG_2306.JPG
IMG_2309.JPG

"What’s your favorite dish to eat at O Kitchen? I eat here everyday…I’m never bored. I’m blessed as a restaurant owner because I really enjoy the food here".

IMG_3080.JPG
IMG_2295.JPG

Ricotta gnocchi with amatriciana

IMG_2311.JPG
IMG_2313.JPG

Smiles with Susumu, always giving me sound advice...

IMG_3072.JPG

Sneaked a peak of what the staff eats...ok, I seriously have to get invited to one of their lunch breaks, haha!

IMG_3077.JPG

A well deserved break...

IMG_2326.JPG

 Frozen star anise souffle with torched banana (definitely one of my favs!!!)

“There are things called a process…adding sauce, mish mash…from there you start to think what’s necessary or unnecessary…then you weed them out and you begin to see much clearly what’s important. That’s what I teach these kids…everything through a creative process, because this is how I think.  For example, to climb a mountain, each person climbs it a different way…through this you see the darkness, and experience good things. It’s about the feeling and memory."

About the menu: a little bit of European, Korean & Japanese...well, to best explain, it's Susumu's life journey. The food is just too good...

My memories with O Kitchen and Susumu are boundless.  Truly grateful to have a new experience each time, and I not only leave with a full stomach, but always filled with inspiration!

O Kitchen

Follow them on their facebook page: O Kitchen Facebook

Yongsan-gu, Itaewon dong 3-19, Seoul/서울시 용산구 이태원동 19길 3

02.797.6420 

Subway: Itaewon station (line 6), exit 1.  Walk a few blocks until you hit 'Pacific shopping center' then take a right at the alley.  Restaurant will be on your left.

In seoul Tags french, itaewon, italian, japanese, modern korean, seafood, seoul, korea
← ghetto gourmet: dining in the rough, part 3summer days coming to an end... →

chapters

Featured
KimbapLab-16_sm.jpg
Oct 3, 2017
Kimbap Lab Brooklyn
Oct 3, 2017
Oct 3, 2017
Jan 9, 2017
Introducing Kimbap Lab
Jan 9, 2017
Jan 9, 2017
Apr 25, 2016
spain and portugal
Apr 25, 2016
Apr 25, 2016
starchefs international culinary congress
Nov 12, 2015
starchefs international culinary congress
Nov 12, 2015
Nov 12, 2015
hawai'i
Jul 24, 2015
hawai'i
Jul 24, 2015
Jul 24, 2015
Dec 8, 2014
salt & charcoal
Dec 8, 2014
Dec 8, 2014
Nov 15, 2014
the backitchen
Nov 15, 2014
Nov 15, 2014
toronto
Sep 29, 2014
toronto
Sep 29, 2014
Sep 29, 2014
cannes, france
Jun 10, 2014
cannes, france
Jun 10, 2014
Jun 10, 2014
IMG_2552.JPG
Apr 22, 2014
busan once again
Apr 22, 2014
Apr 22, 2014
v5.jpg
Feb 10, 2014
vietnam
Feb 10, 2014
Feb 10, 2014
three.JPG
Dec 26, 2013
the back kitchen-brooklyn
Dec 26, 2013
Dec 26, 2013
hv 10.jpg
Dec 6, 2013
the still life-hudson valley new york
Dec 6, 2013
Dec 6, 2013
IMG_1366.JPG
Oct 27, 2013
going back to the roots-let's start again...
Oct 27, 2013
Oct 27, 2013
salt.JPG
Sep 26, 2013
the untold story of south korea's salt farms
Sep 26, 2013
Sep 26, 2013
IMG_1334.jpg
Aug 26, 2013
*seoul for a moment*
Aug 26, 2013
Aug 26, 2013
countlan magazine feature-korean salted mackerel
Jul 22, 2013
countlan magazine feature-korean salted mackerel
Jul 22, 2013
Jul 22, 2013
IMG_1196.jpg
Jul 8, 2013
take 31 new york
Jul 8, 2013
Jul 8, 2013
IMG_1019.JPG
Jun 18, 2013
hello prospect park
Jun 18, 2013
Jun 18, 2013
Sing. mag.jpg
Apr 3, 2013
singapore food and travel magazine
Apr 3, 2013
Apr 3, 2013
IMG_0503.JPG
Mar 25, 2013
blue hill at stone barns
Mar 25, 2013
Mar 25, 2013
sarah.jpg
Mar 5, 2013
camera shy
Mar 5, 2013
Mar 5, 2013
IMG_0264.JPG
Feb 10, 2013
just a little teaser of what new york food is all about...
Feb 10, 2013
Feb 10, 2013
cafe.jpg
Jan 19, 2013
and so it begins...
Jan 19, 2013
Jan 19, 2013
bt 2.jpg
Jan 3, 2013
farm to table goodness
Jan 3, 2013
Jan 3, 2013
bev5.jpg
Dec 16, 2012
chef beverly kim
Dec 16, 2012
Dec 16, 2012
IMG_9529.JPG
Nov 11, 2012
hong kong in less than 24 hours
Nov 11, 2012
Nov 11, 2012
IMG_9450.JPG
Oct 22, 2012
exit strategy: leaving korea painlessly
Oct 22, 2012
Oct 22, 2012
linus 4.jpeg
Sep 17, 2012
the dirty dirty about the secret love sauce: linus exposed
Sep 17, 2012
Sep 17, 2012
IMG_8690.JPG
Sep 10, 2012
andong
Sep 10, 2012
Sep 10, 2012
You must select a collection to display.

all content copyright © and reserved by seoul in the city 2009-2025