Exclusive:2-Michelin Star Chef Jun (Soigné) Lee Transforms Dining Into A ‘Seoulful’ Experience At Leela Palace

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Bangaloreans are no strangers to international food pop-ups. Imagine a grand evening where the essence of luxury intertwines with the expertise of world-class chefs, transforming the already exquisite venues into epicenters of gastronomic excellence.

With the ever-expanding and unparalleled fine dining space, there has been a stalwart like The Leela Palace, Bangalore, a luxury hotel that has routinely hosted world-renowned Chefs from all over the globe. In continuance with their philosophy of providing a curated and exclusive experience to their patrons, they have brought in Michelin two-star Chef Jun Lee from Soigné, South Korea to this city.

For the unversed, Korean culture has seen a meteoric rise in the past five years, thanks to the successful K-pop culture and OTTs that have offered Korean dramas with subtitles and regional dubs. Subsequently, Korean food has gained popularity as well, and for the gourmet, this exclusive contemporary Korean Showcase is just the right experience.

In a candid conversation with Boldsky, Chef Jun Lee shares his incredible journey, from his love for his city, Seoul, and his passion for food to winning 2 Michelin stars.

Chef Lee is known for his innovative and refined approach to cuisine, blending traditional Korean flavors with modern techniques. He comes across as a passionate chef who happens to strive for perfection and creativity while keeping his ear to the ground. By way of observation of human behavior and local habits, Chef Lee has aspired to create dishes that represent his soul - his Seoul!

From Seoul to New York And Back

Chef Lee expressed how the process of creation inside the kitchen always intrigued him. Even as a child, he would get engrossed in creating something new with his bare hands. Throughout his schooling years, cooking from scratch and cooking something unique brought him the most joy. Chef Lee said "Even from that moment, I kept thinking that it'd be really nice if I could keep crafting like this or making something until I die".

He realized early on that the culinary landscape is a place of continuous innovation. Chef says "It's one area of crafting where you can keep making something new and there are an unlimited number of possibilities of making something new out of the same ingredients and using similar cooking techniques"

This passion for culinary art took him all the way to the Culinary Institute of America in New York City. He learned the modern techniques of cooking there and given his passion for perfection, he earned the nickname 'Soigné Lee'. Little did he know that this French word would have an everlasting connection with him.

Once back to his base, Chef Jun's foray into the restaurant business was a planned yet daring step in Seoul. He went on to be one of the pioneer Korean Chefs who reshaped the restaurant landscape in their city. Fine dining, especially for Korean cuisine was then unheard of. When he set up 'Soigné', he wanted to establish contemporary Korean cuisine as a fine dining genre.

What's The Core Philosophy Behind Soigné?

'Soigné' is a French word that means 'to dress up' or 'making something perfect'. And that's the core philosophy that drives Chef Jun Lee. He set up Soigné as a young 30-year-old who wanted 'the food to be the identity of Being a Seoul-ite'. Chef Lee wanted to bring the heart and soul of his city to the plate. Lee is incredibly passionate about the fact that food represents who you are'. Lee said, 'When people call themselves New Yorkers, it's not about what ethnic community they belong to, but they identify with the common culture that the city represents and that they resonate with'.

Soigné was born with the purpose of representing Seoul with the food that is served there. Right from its inception in 2015 Soigné epitomized Chef Lee's culinary philosophy that the most important part of cuisine is communicating and understanding. Understanding behaviors and the deep connections that the human psyche has with food is the core. Soigné was awarded one Michelin star in 2016 and 2017, and the coveted second star in 2022. With 11 years of such a successful run, Soigné continues to be a stalwart in the fine dining space in Seoul.

Chef Lee is a dilettante in human behavior and the core philosophy of his cuisine at Soigné is behavior or habits. The restaurant has a tagline that says 'Contemporary Cuisine of Seoul' and not 'Korea'. He feels that Korea is a vast space and he can only truly represent Seoul through his food as he's a native.

Dinner Curation To Feature His Signature Dishes From Soigné

Chef Jun Lee has a fondness for Indian food and he likes how diverse it is. Compared to Korean cuisine, Indian food is very different. He has tasted Indian dishes at restaurants in Seoul, and he likes the curries and 'tandoor' dishes a lot. While preparing for the dinner showcase at The Leela Palace Bengaluru hotel, he was mindful of the local preferences.

While most of the dinner curation will feature signature dishes from Soigné, Chef has tweaked some sauces to make the food less hot. He has also switched 'beef' with lamb because he felt that there's more acceptance for lamb here.

He is looking forward to this exclusive dinner service at the Hotel planned for 23rd and 24th August at their uber dinner place, Le Cirqué Signature, the award-winning restaurant that offers stunning views of well-manicured flora amid astounding architectural splendor and offers private dining for a more intimate experience.