Youngest Michelin Chef Reimagines Seasons of Namsan
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
Chunghoo Lee, once called a “lazy genius,” rose to fame as Korea’s youngest Michelin-starred chef after opening his fine-dining restaurant Zero Complex in 2016. Raised in Jinju with little exposure to Western food, a trip to Paris during military service inspired him to study molecular and French cuisine. Known for “innovative” (이노베이티브) cuisine that blends techniques beyond classic categories, Lee emphasizes spontaneity and subtle changes to familiar ingredients. In 2025 he became executive chef of Festa at Banyan Tree Seoul, where the dining room’s glass walls and garden views of Namsan inspire a new menu titled by ingredient names (e.g., flatfish, horseradish, seasonal herbs). The dishes reflect the mountain’s four seasons and a brighter, more dynamic palette than Zero Complex. Lee views this move as a major creative turning point and credits travel—such as a revealing visit to Shanghai—and humility for expanding his approach to global cuisines. He aims to keep evolving rather than settling into routine, calling small harmonies and experimentation the seeds of future culinary tradition.
