This month, we're enjoying French-Korean Soogil located in the East Village. Owner/Chef Soogil Lim talks with us about his restaurant, signature dishes, cocktails that we must try and how he has found additional skills as he has navigated the pandemic.
ATHLEISURE MAG: Chef Soogil Lim, tell us about your culinary background.
CHEF SOOGIL LIM: I was born and raised in South Korea and was originally going to major in Biology. I became interested in the culinary world when I went into a restaurant and saw a sign that said “Make People Happy.”
It prompted me to research culinary education and enter the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. Upon graduation, I began my training in French cuisine at Restaurant Daniel, one of New York’s most acclaimed fine dining restaurants. Through my hard work and dedication, I was able to move up the ranks and become the first Korean Sous Chef in the restaurant’s history, which I am very proud of. After working for 7 years under Chef Daniel Boulud (three as Sous Chef) and honing my French technique, I became Executive Chef at the modern Korean restaurant Hanjan, where I ran the kitchen for 4 years. For my own restaurant, which opened in 2018, I decided to blend the two culinary backgrounds I love: French and Korean.
AM: What led you to creating your French-Korean restaurant, Soogil that is located in the East Village?
CHEF SL: For my restaurant Soogil, I wanted to combine my Korean background with my French culinary training to create a harmony of the food cultures of France and Korea. The East Village is home to restaurants serving cuisines from various countries. Korean, Japanese and Chinese restaurants are concentrated on and around St. Mark’s Place, and Indian restaurants lined up along 6th Street. The Momofuku empire began as a small noodle bar in the East Village, too, and there are also several Michelin-starred restaurants - with such diverse cuisines and culinary styles, it’s a great area for dining out and for Soogil to be part of.
AM: What culinary synergy is there between French and Korean food that really plays well together?
CHEF SL: I grew up in Korea and came to America to learn French cuisine. The keyword of Korean food is fermentation - soy sauce, gochujang (red hot pepper paste), soybean paste, and kimchi are all fermented. And the keyword for French cuisine is technique. Classic techniques that have been developed after the French Revolution form the basis of today's French cuisine. Since Korean cooking is based on fermented food, which is closely related to healthy eating, it has been rediscovered and popularized by chefs but not as refined technique-wise. French cooking techniques help me elevate the food and take it to another level.
AM: When did you launch and what can guests expect when they come to dine at Soogil?
CHEF SL: We opened Soogil in January 2018. At first, we started with small plates and more casual food and then added a tasting menu showcasing my own creative style of cooking. During the pandemic, there have been many restrictions on operating restaurants, so right now we are focusing only on our 5-course tasting menu (some of the tasting menu dishes are also available a la carte). The menu is seasonal, and we also offer special tasting menus for holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mother’s Day, etc. that have been very popular.
AM: Can you talk about the aesthetics of your restaurant for those that will be dining inside?
CHEF SL: When you open the large orange French door and enter Soogil you will first notice how cozy, stylish and lovely the space is. There is a striking light fixture with round glass spheres. The tables and chairs are all made of oak with a light finish, as is our bar. On the wall, there are three original works by artist Suzy Taekyung Kim. The title of this group of paintings is “Dream Incubator” and the artist says of them: “With our busy, hectic lives, we tend to miss the moments of pure happiness and hope. This series is a gentle reminder for us to pause, look up, keep your silver lining moments and dream on!” I’d like to offer such moments of pure happiness to guests who visit our restaurant in their busy daily life as well.
AM: When creating this menu, can you tell us about where inspiration for your dishes came from?
CHEF SL: The basis of my inspiration is memories. I remember the flavors, taste of specific dishes that created good memories with my family or friends when I was a child. The food that’s part of those memories is the most inspiring element for creating my own dishes.
Inspiration is everywhere in my daily life. I love traveling, eating, dining and tasting local fruits and vegetables. When I travel anywhere, I love to go to the local supermarket. Also, in restaurant kitchens in New York, chefs of various ethnicities work together. They look at the same ingredients but look at them differently - and often times, the inspiration comes from working together and combining different ideas.
AM: What are 3 appetizers and/or desserts that we should try at Soogil?
CHEF SL: Sunchoke Velouté highlights the natural sweetness of sunchoke, set off by tangy goat cheese, crispy brioche and bacon.
The Scallop is a complex dish featuring sea scallops crusted with a blend of gochujang (traditional Korean red chili paste), bacon, garlic bread crumbs and butter on a skewer alternating with roasted salsify over a salad of frisee, blood orange and Korean pear for a touch of crunch.
Jenga Tower is our signature dessert and a lot of fun. It’s composed of “churros” stacked on top of one another like a Jenga Tower and topped with black sesame gelato and sweet Korean seven grain powder sprinkled on top. The slightly chewy interior and crunchy, crisp exterior work well with the gelato and you can pull out the sticks as if playing Jenga and dip them into the gelato – it’s a playful way to finish your meal.
AM: What are 3 signature dishes that you suggest that we should enjoy?
CHEF SL: Nurungji Gras is my signature dish that combines foie gras, one of France’s finest delicacies, with one of Korea’s beloved traditional dishes, nurungji, the thin crust of scorched rice at the bottom of the cooking pot after rice is cooked. The golden-brown nurungji is served in a mini skillet, layered with shaved brussels sprouts, caramelized onions, poached peach and pickled beech mushroom and topped with sauteed foie gras. We pour a soy mushroom sauce tableside for a special finishing touch, which guests love. The dish offers a wonderful interplay of flavors and textures with the crispy, sticky and nutty nurungji and the rich buttery foie gras.
Uni Bowl combines sea urchin and smoked salmon roe over rice flecked with Korean seaweed. In each bite you get the rice, uni, roe and wild seaweed (gamtae), getting all the textures and flavors together.
The Short Rib is my take on the traditional Galbi, Korean grilled beef short ribs. With its tender meat, well-seasoned marinade and touch of sweetness, it is a widely loved Korean BBQ dish. It’s my favorite as well, I marinate the short ribs in a blend of soy sauce, Korean pear, onions, and garlic. They are then grilled and served with sweet potato puree and pickled chanterelles.
AM: What are 3 cocktails that you suggest we should have when visiting?
CHEF SL: Yuzu Spice made with sake infused with 7 spices, yuzu and lime is Soogil's signature cocktail. It has a kick to it thanks to the spices and pairs well with the food.
French 108E is a blend of the Korean spirit soju, elderflower, lemon, sparkling wine, homemade omija syrup. Also called schisandra or magnolia berry, omija is used in traditional Korean medicine because of its antioxidant properties.
Rosso Negroni - licorice meets Campari for a bittersweet drink made with licorice infused soju, Campari and sweet vermouth.
AM: What vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free friendly items do you have?
CHEF SL: Due to pandemic limitations and the size of our kitchen, we are only able to accommodate vegan and vegetarian requests with some advance notice - we are serving the tasting menu right now but are happy to adjust it for any requests with one day notice.
AM: During COVID-19, many restaurants have had to pivot on how they serve the guests and neighborhoods with pickups, delivery, reduce indoor dining, outdoor dining etc – what have you been doing during this time?
CHEF SL: The pandemic opened doors to various roles I hadn’t known before as my life as a chef had only consisted of cooking. This year I also became a carpenter building our outdoor dining structure, a dishwasher (keeping six feet apart was impossible in our small kitchen) and a delivery man. With fear over COVID-19, many people stayed home. I knew that many needed meals and I would have to get past my own fears. When we had to shut down the restaurant in March, my wife and I launched a new concept, the virtual Chan by Soogil, offering traditional Korean home-style meals and kits in a pivot from our original French-Korean cuisine and tasting menus to more comforting home-cooking.
As outdoor dining reopened, we were able to bring back my signature tasting menu. However, some people still preferred delivery, even for the tasting menu. While initially skeptical, I realized how meaningful it would be for our customers to have these tastings delivered. I had never imagined delivering tasting menus, but I’m happy I can bring our customers some joy during this time.
I am forever grateful to those who have stuck with us through this - they are the reason I can stay in the kitchen and continue to be a chef.
IG @SoogilNYC
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | PG 72 + 78 Lily Brown | PG 74 Soogil | PG 77 Michael Tulipan |
Read the Apr Issue #64 of Athleisure Mag and see The Art of the Snack | Soogil in mag.
