Korea is the new star of New York gastronomy
Jungsik restaurant in Manhattan is first to get two stars in new Michelin guide to city
A Korean restaurant has for the first time won two Michelin stars in the 2014 New York edition of the prestigious gastronomy guide, which has awarded a record number of accolades.
But in the two-star category of "excellent cuisine, worth a detour," the surprise breakthrough was Korean restaurant Jungsik, run by chef Jung Sik Yim in Manhattan's trendy TriBeCa neighbourhood.
"He's a brilliant young chef who worked in Korea, New York and also in Spain at a three-star Michelin [restaurant]," said Michael Ellis, international director of the annual guides issued by the French tyre company.
"It's a very personal cuisine, which combines his Korean origins with high-level European techniques for a superb cuisine d'auteur."
The number of two-star restaurants in New York fell from seven last year to five.
They also include Atera, run by young chef Mathew Lightner in TriBeCa; Soto, a Japanese restaurant in Greenwich Village; the Italian Marea, near Central Park; and Momofuku, in East Village.