The top Italian chef will open his fourth restaurant with the luxury label Gucci on March 28, this time in the South Korean capital.
Top chef Massimo Bottura is opening the world's fourth Gucci Osteria and the third outside Italy on 28 March. The South Korean metropolis of Seoul can now look forward to a Gucci Osteria, following in the footsteps of Florence, Los Angeles and Tokyo. Reservations have opened for the venue located on the top floor of the Gucci Goak flagship store in the Itaewon district.
"There is an invisible thread that runs through all 'Gucci Osterias' worldwide: It connects Italian food with the food and products of other great global cuisines. In Korea – as in Italy – food is part of the culture, and I am very happy to welcome all guests to our Seoul outpost," says patron Massimo Bottura.
Italian and Korean cultures merge on the menu. Massimo Bottura (owner of the three Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana, voted world's best restaurant in 2016 and 2018) developed the dishes together with Karime Lopez, executive chef of the Gucci Osteria Florence (awarded one Michelin star in 2020), Hyungkyu Jun, the executive chef in Seoul, and chef Davide Cardellini. In addition to lunch, an aperitivo will be offered n the late afternoon and a classic dinner setting in the evening.
The à la carte menu will feature Gucci Osteria signature dishes such as the legendary Emilia Burger and Tortellini with Parmigiano-Reggiano cream. There will also be creative interpretations of Italian dishes and seasonal Korean-inspired creations. These include "Seoul Garden" and "Summer in Adriatic". The wine list includes around 200 items.
The restaurant is directly accessible via a separate entrance and offers 28 seats in the main dining room and 36 on the terrace. The interior design of Gucci Osteria Seoul is inspired by the original Florence branch, with references to the Italian Renaissance and the eclectic mix of aesthetics for which Gucci is known. The green colour palette and wood panelling, for example, are typical. Following the aesthetics of the Gucci Osteria Tokyo, the recurring symbolism of the star is in the foreground. It appears in the ceiling lighting of the hall, in the hand-inlaid parquet flooring and in the colourful marble mosaic of the terrace – a playful selling point.
Stained glass doors also conceal an opulent private dining room for up to eight guests. The Room of Mirrors features ornate antique wall mirrors, ebonised panelling and Radura wallpaper from Gucci's décor collection.
Gucci Osteria Seoul
223 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Restaurant opening date: 28 March 2022
