Chef Hasung Lee has opened Oyatte, his debut restaurant in New York City, after spending over a decade refining his craft in some of America's most prestigious kitchens. Lee helped establish Atomix as a two-Michelin-star destination and most recently trained at Thomas Keller's three-Michelin-star The French Laundry in Napa Valley.
Oyatte operates as an eight-course tasting menu restaurant built around seasonal, farm-fresh produce sourced directly from Crown Daisy Farm in upstate New York. This supply chain strategy reflects a broader restaurant philosophy centered on ingredient quality and direct relationships with growers. The approach mirrors strategies employed by fine dining establishments nationwide, where chefs increasingly control their sourcing to guarantee consistency and freshness.
Lee's pedigree signals serious ambitions for the restaurant. His time at Atomix, the Korean fine-dining destination in Manhattan's Flatiron neighborhood, provided invaluable experience running a high-volume tasting menu operation while maintaining Michelin standards. That role exposed him to both kitchen logistics and the exacting standards required by Michelin inspectors. His subsequent position at The French Laundry, widely considered America's most rigorous kitchen, sharpened his technical execution and refined his understanding of how to build a multi-course narrative on a plate.
The tasting menu format Lee selected represents a calculated business choice. It eliminates à la carte complexity, streamlines kitchen operations, and allows him to showcase seasonal ingredients at their peak. This model also justifies premium pricing in a competitive New York market where diners increasingly expect fine dining experiences to tell a story.
Oyatte enters a crowded fine-dining landscape where Korean cuisine and chef-driven tasting menus both command strong interest. Lee's personal brand, built through his Atomix success, gives him an immediate audience. The