There's a plum tree outside a small building on East 39th Street. It's barely noticeable if you're rushing through Murray Hill on your way somewhere else. But for Chef Hasung Lee, that plum blossom means everything. It's the namesake of his restaurant, Oyatte, and a symbol drawn from the Joseon Dynasty representing resilience, rebirth, and quiet beauty in difficult seasons.
Oyatte isn't just another fine dining opening in a city that mints them like coins. It's the culmination of a career that spans three continents, some of the most decorated kitchens on the planet, and a viral Netflix moment that turned a reserved, intensely focused chef into a household name. When it opens its doors at 125 East 39th Street this spring, it will be one of the most closely watched restaurant debuts New York has seen in years.
The Making of the "Culinary Monster"
Chef Hasung Lee's resume reads like a world tour of culinary excellence. He started at Gramercy Tavern, learning the fundamentals of American seasonal cooking under the shadow of Danny Meyer's hospitality empire. From there, he traveled to Copenhagen to work at Geranium, the three-Michelin-star temple of Nordic cuisine that prizes naturalism and restraint above all else.
Back in New York, Lee became head chef at Atomix, the two-Michelin-star Korean tasting menu restaurant in NoMad. There, he helped push Korean fine dining into a rarefied tier, earning the restaurant a spot on the World's 50 Best list. But Lee wasn't finished learning. He headed to Yountville, California, to work as sous chef at The French Laundry under Thomas Keller, absorbing Keller's legendary farm-to-table philosophy and obsessive attention to detail.
It's the kind of trajectory that commands respect in professional kitchens. But it was Netflix that made Lee famous outside of them.
Netflix's "Culinary Class Wars" and the Road to New York
In 2025, Lee appeared on Season 2 of Netflix Korea's Culinary Class Wars, a high-stakes cooking competition that pits established chefs against rising talent. Lee almost didn't join. "I'm too old," he told producers when they first approached him. He eventually agreed, and what followed was one of the most compelling arcs in the show's run.
Dubbed the "Culinary Monster" by fellow contestants and viewers alike, Lee earned the nickname not through theatrics or trash talk, but through an almost unsettling calm under pressure. While other chefs scrambled, Lee moved with the quiet precision of someone who has plated thousands of tasting menu courses at the highest level. His dishes were technically flawless, drawing on his global training while revealing deep emotional connection to Korean culinary traditions.
He finished as the runner-up. For most, that would sting. For Lee, it was a springboard. In interviews after the finale, he spoke openly about his next chapter: Oyatte, his first solo restaurant, set to open in New York City. "The show reminded me why I cook," he told TV Guide. "Not for trophies, but to feed people something honest."
Crown Daisy Farm: Where the Menu Begins
What makes Oyatte conceptually different from many of its fine dining peers starts about 150 miles north of Manhattan. Crown Daisy Farm, an upstate New York operation, is the restaurant's exclusive produce partner. It's run by Brett Ellis, who previously served as head farmer at The French Laundry, the very kitchen where Lee spent formative years of his career.
The partnership isn't a marketing gimmick or a line on the menu that reads "locally sourced." It's a structural decision that shapes the entire dining experience. Lee and Ellis work together on seasonal planting schedules, meaning the farm grows specific crops for the restaurant's menu cycles. If Lee wants a particular heirloom radish variety for a spring course, Ellis plants it months in advance.
This kind of closed-loop farm relationship is rare even at the top tier of dining. It echoes what Thomas Keller built with his own garden at The French Laundry, and it signals that Lee is aiming for a level of ingredient purity that most restaurants simply cannot achieve with standard distribution.
The sustainability ethos extends beyond sourcing. Lee has spoken about minimizing waste through fermentation and preservation techniques, transforming vegetable scraps and trimmings into key flavor components rather than sending them to landfill. Crown Daisy Farm practices regenerative agriculture, further embedding environmental responsibility into Oyatte's DNA.
The Menu: Seasonal Precision, Not Strict Korean
If you're expecting a Korean tasting menu in the mold of Atomix, Oyatte will surprise you. Lee has been deliberate about positioning this restaurant as its own entity. The cuisine is seasonal and technique-driven, informed by Korean traditions but not confined to them.
Expect fermentation to play a starring role. Lee's years across multiple culinary traditions have given him a toolkit that draws on Korean jang (fermented pastes), Nordic preservation methods, and French mother sauces. The tasting menu format, likely around 10 courses, will rotate with the seasons as Crown Daisy Farm's harvests shift.
Early reports suggest that Lee is building courses around single hero ingredients, allowing the quality of the produce to do the talking rather than burying it under complexity. Think a single turnip, prepared three ways across a course, each preparation highlighting a different facet of flavor and texture. That restraint, the confidence to let an ingredient speak, is something Lee credits to his time at both Geranium and The French Laundry.
Pricing hasn't been officially announced, but given the caliber of the operation and the Infatuation's $$$$ rating, expect the tasting menu to land in the $200 to $300 range before drinks, tax, and tip.
The Beverage Program: Natural Wine Meets Cocktail Precision
If the food at Oyatte represents Lee's global culinary journey, the beverage program is its own quietly ambitious operation. Lee assembled a team that brings serious credentials from two very different worlds.
Wine: Cécile Chastanet
Sommelier Cécile Chastanet comes to Oyatte from Per Se, Thomas Keller's New York flagship and one of the city's most respected wine programs. At Oyatte, she's steering the list toward natural, biodynamic, and low-intervention wines. This isn't the crunchy, funky natural wine of a Bushwick bar. Chastanet's selections lean elegant and food-friendly, chosen specifically to complement the tasting menu's progression.
Expect a mix of small-production European growers and emerging New York State producers. The wine pairings will likely be a highlight, given Chastanet's track record of building courses around flavor harmony rather than prestige labels.
Cocktails: Milos Zica
Behind the bar, Milos Zica brings a pedigree rooted in Employees Only, the legendary West Village speakeasy that helped define New York's cocktail renaissance. Zica's program at Oyatte centers on martinis and agave-forward cocktails, a combination that sounds simple on paper but reflects a sophisticated understanding of how spirits interact with fine dining food.
The martini menu is customizable, offered in gin, vodka, or sake bases with variations that include olive oil-washed, ume-shu infused, and a house dirty version made with in-house pickling liquor. Agave cocktails lean smoky and nuanced, featuring mezcal negroni riffs with yuzu and tepache-based margaritas with fermented pineapple. Everything aims for sessionable, lower-ABV pours that enhance conversation rather than overwhelm the palate.
Non-alcoholic options mirror the full list, ensuring teetotalers don't feel like an afterthought.
The Space: Intimate and Intentional
Oyatte occupies the former Kajitsu space on East 39th Street, a bi-level restaurant with approximately 30 seats. If you know Kajitsu, you know the bones are good: it was a respected kaiseki spot that prized intimacy and calm.
Lee has reconfigured the space to suit his vision, though detailed design specifics remain under wraps ahead of opening. What's clear is that the 30-seat count is deliberate. This isn't a restaurant trying to maximize covers. It's designed for focused attention, the kind of environment where a chef can know every diner in the room and tailor the experience accordingly.
The bi-level layout allows for different energies across the two floors. Expect the lower level to feel more lounge-like, suitable for pre-dinner cocktails, while the upper dining room likely carries the formal weight of the tasting experience.
How Oyatte Differs from Atomix
The comparison is inevitable, so let's address it directly. Atomix, where Lee served as head chef, is a two-Michelin-star Korean tasting menu restaurant that made history on the World's 50 Best list. It's precise, elegant, and deeply rooted in Korean culinary identity.
Oyatte is not Atomix 2.0. Here are the key differences:
Culinary scope. Atomix is proudly Korean in technique and identity. Oyatte draws from Korean traditions but freely incorporates French, Nordic, and global influences. Lee describes it as cooking that reflects his entire journey, not just one chapter.
Farm relationship. Atomix sources excellent ingredients, but Oyatte's exclusive partnership with Crown Daisy Farm represents a different level of integration. The farm grows for the restaurant. That's a structural advantage most competitors can't replicate.
Sustainability focus. While many fine dining spots tip their hat to sustainability, Oyatte builds it into the foundation: regenerative farming, fermentation-based waste reduction, seasonal-only menus.
Beverage identity. Atomix has a strong wine program, but Oyatte's cocktail component, led by an Employees Only alumnus, adds a layer that's more social and approachable.
Scale and feel. With 30 seats versus Atomix's counter format, Oyatte offers a different kind of intimacy. It's still small, but the bi-level layout creates more spatial variety.
Practical Information
Address: 125 East 39th Street, Murray Hill, New York, NY 10016
Opening: Spring 2026 (exact date TBA as of March 2026)
Price range: $$$$ (tasting menu estimated $200-$300+)
Dress code: Smart casual to dressy. This is fine dining, but not stuffy. Think thoughtful, not tie-required.
Reservations: A waitlist is currently active ahead of opening. Expect reservations to go live on Resy closer to the opening date. Given the Netflix buzz and press attention, early seatings will be extremely competitive.
Reservation strategy: Sign up for the waitlist immediately if you haven't already. Follow Oyatte on Instagram for the reservation launch announcement. When bookings open, aim for Tuesday or Wednesday nights for the best chance at availability. Be flexible with time, as 9:00 PM and later seatings tend to have more openings.
Who Oyatte Is Best For
The serious food traveler. If you plan trips around restaurants and track Michelin stars, Oyatte is a must. Lee's pedigree is virtually unmatched among new openings in 2026.
Date night (the important one). Thirty seats, natural wine, cocktails, and a tasting menu built around seasonal produce. This is the kind of place where you propose or celebrate an anniversary.
Netflix fans curious about the real thing. If you watched "Culinary Class Wars" and wondered what the "Culinary Monster" actually cooks when the cameras are off, this is your answer.
Wine lovers. Cécile Chastanet's natural wine program, built to pair with the tasting menu, is a draw all its own.
Sustainability-minded diners. If you care about where your food comes from and how it's grown, Oyatte's Crown Daisy Farm partnership is the real deal, not marketing fluff.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the tasting menu cost at Oyatte NYC?
Pricing hasn't been officially announced yet. Based on the $$$$ rating from The Infatuation and the caliber of ingredients and talent involved, expect the tasting menu to fall in the $200 to $300 range per person before beverages, tax, and gratuity. Wine pairings will likely add $100 to $175.
How do I make a reservation at Oyatte?
As of early 2026, Oyatte has a waitlist active on its website. Full reservations are expected to launch on Resy closer to the opening date. Follow the restaurant on Instagram for the announcement, and be ready to book the moment slots go live.
Is Oyatte a Korean restaurant?
Not exclusively. Chef Hasung Lee draws on Korean culinary traditions, particularly fermentation techniques, but the menu also incorporates French, Nordic, and broader global influences. Think of it as a personal expression of Lee's entire career rather than a single cuisine.
What is Crown Daisy Farm?
Crown Daisy Farm is Oyatte's exclusive produce partner, located in upstate New York. It's run by Brett Ellis, former head farmer at The French Laundry. The farm grows specific crops for Oyatte's seasonal menu rotations, creating a true farm-to-table pipeline that's rare even at the highest levels of dining.
Who is the "Culinary Monster" from Netflix?
That's Chef Hasung Lee, Oyatte's chef and owner. He earned the nickname during Season 2 of Netflix Korea's Culinary Class Wars, where his calm demeanor and technically flawless cooking carried him to the runner-up position. The show significantly raised his public profile ahead of Oyatte's opening.
How does Oyatte compare to Atomix?
While Lee served as head chef at Atomix, Oyatte is a distinct concept. Atomix is a proudly Korean tasting menu. Oyatte is broader in scope, features an exclusive farm partnership, places stronger emphasis on sustainability, and includes a cocktail program led by an Employees Only alumnus. The dining formats also differ, with Oyatte offering a 30-seat bi-level space versus Atomix's counter service.
Is there a bar or lounge at Oyatte?
Yes. The bi-level space includes a lower level that functions as a more relaxed bar and lounge area, ideal for pre-dinner cocktails. The cocktail program, led by Milos Zica (formerly of Employees Only), features customizable martinis, agave-forward drinks, and non-alcoholic options.
