Cover Meta chef-owner Sun Kim and general manager Hongseob Kim receive the Krug Ambassade plaque from Patrick Madendjian, the managing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore & Malaysia
Meta chef-owner Sun Kim and general manager Hongseob Kim receive the Krug Ambassade plaque from Patrick Madendjian, the managing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore & Malaysia
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With Meta being the first Korean restaurant by a Korean chef inducted into the ultra-exclusive community, we catch up with Sun Kim on his passion for champagne and the common values he shares with the House of Krug
When Patrick Madendjian, the managing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore & Malaysia, dined at two-Michelin-starred modern Korean restaurant Meta in March of this year, he tells us that he had one of the most memorable meals of his life. “It was an exceptional experience,” he recalls, elaborating on chef-owner Sun Kim’s innovative Korean cuisine that took him on a “journey” from Kim’s growing up years in Busan to his culinary experiences working at the world’s top restaurants such as the now-shuttered Tetsuya’s in Sydney, Australia.
Kim’s latest menu is a reflection of how far he has come as a chef and restaurateur, which began ten years ago when he opened Meta. Since then, his inaugural restaurant has garnered many gourmand fans who couldn’t get enough of his signature dishes like the Jeju abalone porridge and exclusive offerings that change with the seasons.
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Above Abalone from Jeju island cooked twice (steam and grilled) and garnished with grilled chicken heart and lily bulb
Above Marinated Wagyu cooked on the binchotan grill and served with burnt onion puree, mushroom ragu and celtuce kimchi
Abalone from Jeju island cooked twice (steam and grilled) and garnished with grilled chicken heart and lily bulb
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Kim also credits the restaurant’s success to his team whom he describes as a “tight-knit family”. Together, they blend delectable food with warm and personable service, Korean-inspired interior design, and a thoughtfully curated wine list to create an artisanal dining experience. “We put our heart and soul into curating the menus and cooking for [up to] nine tables, and 20 to 25 people daily … what we have achieved today is a product of years of dedication and hard work.”
The restaurant philosophy, adds Kim, closely aligns with the ethos of Krug champagne, which he has been a fan of since his early days at Meta. “A bottle of Krug takes many years to come together, with thousands of trial and error to bring the perfect representation,” expresses Kim, who enjoys having a glass or two with “friends and guests who have brought Krug champagnes to the restaurant over the years”.
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Above Meta chef-owner Sun Kim is the latest Krug Ambassade in Singapore
Meta chef-owner Sun Kim is the latest Krug Ambassade in Singapore
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Kim’s love for Krug and his maverick approach to Korean cuisine is the reason why he’s the newest Krug Ambassade in Singapore. This makes Meta the first Korean restaurant by a Korean chef to be included in this exclusive community; it now has more than 200 Krug Ambassades across 44 countries.
Madendjian shares that on a personal level, he feels a sense of pride for Kim (and Meta) for this achievement. It is also a well-deserved recognition, given that Krug has been part of Kim’s culinary journey for a decade and being an Ambassade means embodying the values of the maison and having the ability to “share the passion and educate consumers about the champagne”. This can be achieved in many ways such as curating food and wine pairings, offering Krug champagnes by the glass, or simply communicating their love for the brand to the guests.
Sharing his love for Krug is easy for Kim, who tells us that his dishes go extremely well with the bubbly. “The champagne’s complexity complements many elements of my dishes, including that touch of acidity. In fact, it’s a versatile drink that diners can enjoy throughout the entire meal [at Meta], if they choose to,” he muses. Thus, general manager Hongseob Kim has curated a fine selection of Krug champagnes by the bottle, including the Krug Grande Cuvée 172ème Édition and the Krug Rosé 27ème Édition.
Above Patrick Madendjian, the managing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Malaysia and Singapore; Meta chef-owner Sun Kim; Meta general manager Hongseob Kim; Nausicaa Charrier, marketing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore and Malaysia; and Julian Quintero, general manager of commercial of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore
Patrick Madendjian, the managing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Malaysia and Singapore; Meta chef-owner Sun Kim; Meta general manager Hongseob Kim; Nausicaa Charrier, marketing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore and Malaysia; and Julian Quintero, general manager of commercial of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore
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As an Ambassade, Kim’s restaurant now enjoys access to back vintages and hard-to-find bottles such as the extremely limited Krug Clos du Mesnil 2008. Meta is one of the few restaurants on the island that carry it.
With his induction, Kim also joins a close-knit family of chefs whose creativity is fostered through the House of Krug’s annual chef gatherings, collaborations, and the Single Ingredient programme. In July of this year, six award-winning chefs from Singapore and Malaysia came together to curate a one-night-only dinner at Art di Daniele Sperindio and celebrate the Single Ingredient programme’s 10th anniversary. “We invited chefs to serve exclusive dishes inspired by previous ingredients, from the humble potato, lemon, and fish to this year’s flowers,” adds Madendjian. The maison also invites selected Ambassades to its annual gathering, where chefs get to know each other better, cook together and express their imagination on a plate.
It has only been a month since Kim was inducted into the Krug Ambassade, but he’s not wasting time to cook up something special for next year’s Single Ingredient programme and potential collaboration dinners within the Krug community. And for gourmands like us who have been a fan of him since day one, we have to wait with bated breath until he reveals the exciting plans he has in the succeeding months.
Credits
Photography: Melvin Wong
Dudi Aureus is the senior dining and travel editor at Tatler Singapore, covering the city’s most exciting restaurants, global travel trends, and the personalities shaping the culinary and lifestyle scenes. She also serves as co-jury chair for the Tatler Best awards in Singapore, celebrating the very best in hospitality. When she’s off duty, she can often be found at a favourite hole-in-the-wall Thai spot, savouring a perfectly balanced pad thai.
