Meet Chef GwanJu Kim – the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Young Chef Award winner for Hong Kong & Macau. With a French culinary foundation honed at Singapore’s three-Michelin-starred Odette and Seoul’s one-Michelin-starred L’Amant Secret, he’s bringing something fresh to Hong Kong.
Attracted by Hong Kong’s abundant produce, vibrant chef community, and the dynamic fusion of tradition and modernity, he partnered with ZS Hospitality Group last year to launch SOL, a restaurant dedicated to French-Korean cuisine. There, he reinterprets overlooked Korean ingredients and culinary traditions through contemporary techniques while innovating with Hong Kong’s local bounty.
Although Hong Kong hosts numerous Korean restaurants,Chef Kim sees untapped potential in the realm of Korean fine dining. With SOL, he aims to offer a distinctive experience, fusing Korean heritage with French technique. Hong Kong’s concentration of top chefs from around the world – each applying their own styles to the same local ingredients – continually sparks his creativity.
Chef Kim also draws inspiration from Hong Kong’s restaurants and culinary talents. International chefs bring unique perspectives to familiar ingredients, while many have developed a deep understanding of local culture and produce, enabling highly personal and diverse interpretations of cuisine.
Amid a challenging dining landscape, he emphasizes that a restaurant’s priority is solid operations and connecting with diners. Awards, he observes, are simply the natural recognition of genuine dedication and excellence.