Twenty Four Seasons

“Not all old things are good. A lot of things are better now. But it’s important to take the good things from the past and try to develop them so that they fit the modern era. That’s the concept of my dishes,” say Yu. Although he uses traditional recipes and local wild ingredients, his food falls into a broad category of contemporary cuisine. But phrases like “contemporary cuisine” or “modern Korean” fail to fully portray Twenty Four Season’s dishes. His unique plating, which is technically a Western method, reminds us of a Korean ink-and-wash painting. It also works as a connector between modern food culture and forgotten traditions of the past. He explains: “We look for Korean beauty. My dishes may look like contemporary cuisine but I seek to infuse them with the old tastes of Korea, although, I haven’t reached that point yet. But I can feel that I am getting closer and closer to that every year. I can’t wait to see where I’ll be in ten years. Maybe then, I’ll finally be satisfied with my food.”