The “Secret Sauce” of Spring: Yu Yuan Launches New Menu at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul

Whether it’s fresh Pungcheon eel from Gochang or briny ice plant carefully cultivated in Gyeongju, the best chefs know that the finest foods come from the finest sources. From April 7 to May 31, 2025, a new menu at Michelin-starred Yu Yuan at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul celebrates spring through Secret Sauce partnerships with renowned Korean foragers and producers.

Having reclaimed its Michelin star in 2025, Yu Yuan's team are no strangers to the importance of collaboration, creativity and vision. The brainchild of Head Chef To Kwok Wai, the new Secret Sauce menu weaves Korean ingredients into re-imagined Cantonese dishes that each tell their own tale of connection, seasonality and sustainability. Drawing on Head Chef To's own childhood memories of springtime foraging with his family and buying direct from local farmers, Secret Sauce is as much about the gift of togetherness as the blessing of spring's abundance.

“No matter the country or culture, food connects us,” explains Head Chef To. “Whether we’re the forager, the farmer, the chef or the diner, it’s about shared emotions and cherished moments. As summer approaches, we invite you to indulge in spring favourites and a sense of timeless warmth.”

At the heart of the menu are beloved ingredients explored in new ways: from Korean-grown ice plant (a Hong Kong native like Head Chef To himself) to the firm, flavourful flesh of Pungcheon eel that pays homage to Chinese tradition, farmed in nearby Gochang. Other locally procured ingredients include Jeongeup chicken, Korean yuzu and red beans among many others.

As climate change reshapes Korea’s natural landscape, farmers and researchers are adapting by cultivating different crops such as subtropical vegetable chayote. The Secret Sauce menu spotlights these new hero ingredients, and their role in the reimagining of different cuisines in the face of Korea's sustainability challenges.

Highlights of the new Secret Sauce menu include:

Marinated Gyeongju Ice Plant with Yuzu Sauce (KRW 27,000) - A staple appetizer in Hong Kong, ice plant is a relatively new crop to Gyeongju, Korea. Its shimmering cells reflect light like ice crystals, while its crisp texture is subtly salty like seaweed and oyster.

Double-boiled Jeongeup Black Chicken Soup with Sea Cucumber, Chayote and Dried Scallop (KRW 67,000) - A Buddhist symbol of abundance, crispy, anti-inflammatory chayote is not only great in soups and stir-fries but central to sustainable agriculture: leaves feed livestock, roots yield starch and waste enriches the soil.

Wok-fried Gochang Eel with Black Bean Sauce (KRW 84,000) - Like the famous lotus pond eel farms of Nimhai Village in Guangdong, China, Gochang in Korea is home to the equally prized Pungcheon eel. Grown in a unique environment where freshwater meets seawater, the nourishing delicacy develops firm, flavourful flesh and a clean, umami-rich taste.

Steamed Jeongeup Chicken with Fish Maw and Cordyceps in Lotus Leaf (KRW 91,000) - Sustainable Jeongeup chicken, prized for its rich flavour and firm texture, is carefully selected to ensure quality and support local farmers. Steamed to retain its juiciness, it absorbs the lotus leaf’s delicate, earthy aroma, enhancing its natural depth without overpowering it.

Korean Red Bean with Coconut Ice Cream (KRW 22,000) - When asked to name the best Chinese dessert, Chef To Kwok Wai doesn’t hesitate - red bean. “More than an ingredient, it carries nostalgia, evolving through generations while remaining a part of family traditions and memories,” he explains.

To make new Secret Sauce memories at Yu Yuan this spring, or for inquiries and reservations, call 02-6388-5500 or click here.