With Seould being hot of every foodie’s lips recently,Executive Chef of Asia’s 27th Best Restaurant,Tae Hwan Ryu, has opened his second restaurant, Normal. The cozy 18–seat modern Bistro – located a short walk from Ryunique – offers guests a menu of salads, starters, charcoal grill dishes, and desserts.
While ‘Ryunique’ is a twist on the executive Chef’s surname, ‘Ryu’, and ‘unique’ – a word the chef says encapsulates his cooking style – second-restaurant Normal sees the chef adopt a more casual approach. Chef Ryu says “Ryunique offers diners a creative fusion of French and Japanese molecular cuisine. Normal maintains the same high standard of food, and also sources all ingredients locally, but appeals to couples and young professionals looking for a more laid-back atmosphere.”
The 36-year-old Chef Ryu graduated from the Hattoria Nutrition School in Yoyogi, and spent eight years training at leading Michelin-star restaurants in Sydney, London, and Japan. His dishes were met with critical acclaim upon the opening of Ryunique in 2012, and the restaurant was named Asia’s 27th Best Restaurant at the Asia’s 50 Best Awards in 2015.
Chef Ryu is also current star of the popular Korean comic, ‘Michelin Star’, which chronicles the adventures of a young Korean chef.