By Bae Ji-sook
Staff reporter
Some may refer to him as the "Korean Gordon Ramsay" for his fierce temper inside the kitchen. Others may worship him as a master chef who climbed all the way to the rank of world-class chef after having started from scratch in a small town in Korea.
But Edward Kwon seems to be a gladiator armed with comforting yet novel cuisine in one hand and international fame on the other at his newly opened European contemporary diner, "The Spice," in Hannam-dong, central Seoul. He was up in arms to fight his fellow chefs and restaurateurs who made fine dining unapproachable for the majority of Koreans here.
The Spice, which has quickly earned a name for being run by Kwon, the first indigenous celebrity chef, was filled with a vibrant and dynamic atmosphere Tuesday, a day after its grand opening. The restaurant had a test run from May 7 and earned warm compliments from their initial customers.
The menu sounds quite complex but in fact is quite humble and gentle on the tongue.
Pan-fried foie gras with toasted brioche, strawberry reduction, Chilean grape jelly, lemon oil powder and lemon verbena makes quite a good ensemble as the rich flavor of the goose liver is freshened by the grape jelly.
One of its best sellers, Sous vide cooked young chicken leg confit, kabocha squash puree, braised lentil du put and truffle juice sounds quite intricate but it is a very simple dish of baked chicken on a bed of fried lentils. The chicken was a bit tough but the puree and truffle juice helped moisten it.
Another recommendation is the dessert section. The vanilla mousse with pineapple carpaccio and crunchy chocolate was soft, juicy and beautiful. The pineapple wasn't too sweet and the crispness of the chocolate biscuit underneath it was delightful enough to make the stiffest person smile.
It wasn't as jaw-droppingly sensational as the intimidating "European contemporary cuisine" sounds, but was cozy and friendly to the palate and stomach.
The menu is set to change every three months to wow the regular guests and trigger curiosity from gourmands. "It is a big challenge ― the staff members were almost reduced to tears!" Kwon laughed.
What makes the guests even happier is the moment they walk to the cashier to pay the bill. The most casual set ― the restaurant only serves set menus ― "Premium" costs 27,500 won per person. Even adding on 10 percent value added tax, it still sits at a modest 30,200 won. The most prestigious "Journey of Edward Kwon's TFT" is 57,500 won.
"I wanted to make a statement on high-cuisine society of Seoul, especially around Gangnam. If you charge $100 dollars per person, which will lead to $400 for a family night-out, how many people can you reach?" he said. "I use the best ingredients with the best gastronomical method ― just like they claim to do. Believe me: with this humble price, I still make money― A LOT!" he joked lowering his hands down to the table.
He said his vision is to let all Koreans taste his dishes without being strained financially. He knew what could become an obstacle to his plan. "I find chefs being the best friends to other chefs and yet their biggest threat. They know the industry and are good at hiding the details," he said. "I am throwing my hat into the ring with comforting food," he said.
For his ambitious dream, he called in Darren Vaughan, his right hand-man at the seven star Burj al Arab, where he worked as an executive chef for two years. Vaughan, who arrived only a week ago, said he backs Kwon's dream.
"Even in the European culinary world, comfort food is en vogue. The more the society goes complicated, the more people crave something familiar and comforting. Edward and I have been talking about the menus via the Internet and he amused me with his dreams," Vaughan said.
But The Spice will go further than heart-warming steaks or fried sea bream. Kwon, who stunned the world by serving raw ostrich at Seoul's W Walkerhill five years ago, is set to surprise the culinary world once again. "Do you know how great raw ostrich with a pinch of salt and herbs tastes? I know it is a bit of a fast-forward for common Korean people but I am confident it will make people's jaws drop," he said.