Mingoo Kang’s SEOK in Paris: fermentation, shared dining and a space by Hugo Toro
The chef of Mingles connects Korean jang and fermentation with French ingredients. An open kitchen, dining bar and 10-seat private room offer different ways to dine.
Mingles chef Mingoo Kang opened his first Paris restaurant, SEOK, at Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme, connecting French ingredients with Korean sauce and fermentation culture.
The space was designed by architect and artist Hugo Toro, allowing dishes, materials and sharing tables to form the viewing entrance of the new restaurant.
Cover image: PARK HYATT PARIS-VENDÔME
Mingles chef Jiang Min is seeking SEOK space. Image: PARK HYATT PARIS-VENDÔMEHugo Toro and SEOK Interior Materials. Image: PARK HYATT PARIS-VENDÔME
Three-star chef background should be distinguished from new restaurant evaluation
Mingoo Kang’s Michelin three-star background accumulated at Mingles in Seoul provides an important clue to understanding the chef, but it does not mean that SEOK will obtain the same star rating as soon as it opens.
When getting to know a new restaurant, the chef's experience, current menu, and the restaurant's own reviews are different materials and should be read separately.
SEOK's name carries the background of paying tribute to his father, and also puts personal memories into the direction of the restaurant.
These stories can help understand the creator's starting point, but the actual meal content still has to go back to the current menu and on-site arrangements.
Sauce and fermentation are not just adding a seasoning to French cuisine
The restaurant is based on Korean traditional sauce, fermentation and sharing culture, paired with French ingredients, allowing the connection between the two places to occur throughout the entire dining experience.
Small plates, side dishes and sauces allow guests to create their own combinations of flavors at the table, and it’s not just about which dish bears a certain Korean name.
For those who are new to it, you can first look at how the menu arranges shared and individual portions, and then confirm whether different tableware or sharing methods are needed.
Fermentation is in the vocabulary and context of cooking and should not be directly extended to promises of health benefits or compatibility with all dietary restrictions.
SEOK discloses the cooking and sharing configuration. Image: PARK HYATT PARIS-VENDÔME
Hugo Toro uses materials, colors and light to connect two places
The spatial design does not just rely on directly copying traditional symbols, but develops colors and materials from clues such as natural feelings, fallen leaves in Paris and small wooden boxes provided by the chef.
This allows cultural connections to emerge through surfaces and light, echoing the fermentation, time and layers of food.
In the public photos, you can compare how the tabletop, wall and seats form different areas. First look at the overall tone, and then look at the materials up close.
The design story provides context, but whether the space is right for you also has to do with seating, the number of people traveling with you, and your desired dining pace.
SEOK publishes cooking instructions. Image: PARK HYATT PARIS-VENDÔME
Dining bar, open kitchen and a 10-seat private room
SEOK includes a dining bar connected to the open kitchen, a main dining area, and a 10-seat private room, allowing for different entrances for more formal dining and small plate sharing.
These areas do not necessarily have the same reservation conditions.
If there is a demand for private rooms or specific seats, please confirm it directly when making a reservation.
Public information also mentions the sharing of dishes with cocktails or champagne, but the actual supply, set menu and price may still be adjusted.
Those who are planning to go can first list their dietary restrictions and meal purposes, and then choose an arrangement that meets their needs, not just based on photos.
SEOK reveals cooking details. Image: PARK HYATT PARIS-VENDÔME
The restaurant is located at Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme, hotel address 5 Rue de la Paix, 75002 Paris.
The official catering page currently lists SEOK as open from 17:30 to 23:00 from Monday to Saturday; other restaurants in the same hotel have different hours, and the all-day cafe hours cannot be directly applied.
The observational value of this new restaurant lies in how Korean cuisine brings the culture of sauce, sharing and hospitality to Paris, and the space responds with its own material language.
By confirming the latest menu and making reservations before departure, you can connect your imagination of design and cuisine to your actual itinerary.
