Four Seasons Hotel Seoul Hosts the World’s Culinary Elite

This March, Four Seasons Hotel Seoul takes centre stage as an official partner of the prestigious Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024, which comes to the Korean capital for the first time. Securing its place as a gastronomic hotspot in the city’s thriving culinary scene, the contemporary Gwanghwamun hotel will be welcoming world-leading chefs, restaurant owners and media alongside its own elite chefs and bartenders.

From March 25 to 26, 2024, the Hotel - renowned for its dining visionary approach across eight restaurants and bars - will be showcasing Seoul’s vibrant foodie culture and creative cocktails infused with Korean artistry. Special dining promotions celebrating the event include savings at two of the Hotel’s restaurants, The Market Kitchen and Boccalino, and the bar Charles H. from March 22 to 29, 2024.

“We’re beyond thrilled to be playing host to this world-leading event as it visits Seoul for the first time,” comments General Manager Michael Schmid. “Not only does this honour affirm the distinguished position of Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in the global gastronomic landscape, it also inspires us all to aim ever higher alongside Asia’s finest culinary creatives.”

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul and Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024 Events:

#50BestTalks: Food of the People – March 25, 2024

Launching the city-wide event, Four Seasons Hotel Seoul will be hosting a diverse line up of gastronomic thought leaders for #50BestTalks: Food of the People on Monday, March 25. From fermentation techniques to family recipes, #50BestTalks celebrates “ordinary” dishes made extraordinary.

Artfully exploring local and international ingredients and techniques, the Hotel’s reception and coffee break menus include dishes such as tender braised Hanwoo beef short ribs with savoury seaweed, velvety acorn jelly with soya chili foam, rich smoked tofu bonbon, and refreshing jeju hallabong (Korean citrus) panna cotta.

A Charles H. Mixology Showcase – March 25 and 26, 2024

Ranked #7 in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2022 and The Best Bar in Korea 2022, Charles H. is an intimate speakeasy discreetly hidden away on the Hotel’s lower level. The dynamic duo behind Charles H., 2018 World Champion Head Bartender Odd Strandbakken and Beverage Creative Director Alyssa Heidt, supported by bartenders Wan Jeong and John Park, will be taking their visionary skills to two pivotal #50Best events taking place in Seoul:

Chefs’ Feast at The Shilla, Seoul - March 25, 2024: As a bar partner to the Chefs’ Feast event, the Charles H. team have crafted a menu of cocktails that showcase Korean liquor and ingredients alongside creative flair.

Inspired by Escoffier’s legendary dessert Peach Melba at London’s Savoy Hotel, Melba Sour is an innovative take on the Whiskey Sour, while the Gibson Highball is a refreshing Mediterranean-themed gin concoction garnished with a cherry tomato marinated in Korean Cheongju. An adventurous reinterpretation, the Kowloon Old Fashioned incorporates butter-fried mushrooms, sesame oil, and Hong Kong spices and seasoning. Cocktail connoisseurs can also enjoy the Melba Sour and the Kowloon Old Fashioned at Charles H. as well.

Awards Ceremony at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas, March 26, 2024: Bringing together all the venues voted into Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024, the Awards Ceremony includes the countdown of the best dining experiences in the region as well as the announcement of several special awards. Serving the biggest gathering of Asia-based culinary talent, Odd, Alyssa and Wan will unveil another trio of signature cocktails.

Cherry Highball features Odd’s signature Cherry Amaro, partnered with Cuban cooking spices for additional uniqueness. A novel take on the classic Whisky Sour, Poached Pear draws on the balances of Benriach whiskey and comforting fruitiness of spiced poached pear simmered in red wine, while Bobby Burns reimagines the infamous cocktail of the same name by introducing a house-made Bokbunja liqueur made from Korean black raspberries.

Special Dining Promotion at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul

To mark the prestigious event, from March 22 to 29, 2024 guests can enjoy 15 percent off dining at the Hotel’s vibrant international buffet restaurant The Market Kitchen and chic Italian restaurant Boccalino, while Charles H. will be waiving its usual cover charge. To be eligible for the promotions, guests need to book their table through the designated link on the Hotel’s official website.

With its array of dining and bar experiences, Four Seasons Hotel Seoul is the Official Partner of this storied event. Home of K-soul food and drink, dynamic hotspot OUL bar offers an immersive Taste of Korea set. Diners can choose three cocktails and three anju from the menu: highlights include a fusion of soju, toasted barley, brown rice crust, and demerara syrup in Goo Soo Highball and omji-infused Korean gin with orange bitters in K-negroni, while Hanwoo Beef Tartare and Lobster Tteokbokki are some of the anju treats on offer.

Headed by two newly-appointed distinguished culinary talents, Head Chef Kwok Wai To and Dim Sum Chef Qingbing Wu, Yu Yuan is renowned for its authentic Cantonese and regional Chinese cuisine. Recognised in the 2023 Taste of Seoul 100 and the 2023 Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards among others, Yu Yuan’s signature dishes include Crispy Sea Cucumber with minced Hoeungseong Hanwoo Beef and Chef’s Special Lao Gan Ma Sauce; Wok-fried Live Grouper in XO Sauce; Steamed Red Rice Flour Crepe with Deep-fried Shrimp, and the opulent Black Har Gow .

Drawing on rich culinary heritage of his Sicilian roots, new Chef de Cuisine Ivan Spadaro helps craft the diverse range of classic southern Italian dishes found in the sleek surrounds of Boccalino. Signature dishes include home-recipe Lasagna; Vongole Verde Mare - pasta with rucola pesto sauce and clams -and Pistachio and Burrata Cheese Pizza. Together, these inspired dining experiences place Four Seasons Hotel Seoul at the heart of the city’s gastronomic scene – the ideal host for the 50 Best event.

For reservations, call 02-6388-5000.