Chef Hasung Lee has opened his own restaurant, Oyatte, in New York City featuring a hyper-seasonal tasting menu [1].
The opening marks the transition of a seasoned professional from supporting roles in elite kitchens to ownership. By focusing on a specific partnership with a local farm, Lee is positioning the restaurant within the growing movement of farm-to-table dining that emphasizes regional biodiversity, and fermentation.
Lee spent more than a decade [1] working in top kitchens worldwide before launching this venture. This extensive period of training provided the foundation for the restaurant's technical approach to food and service.
The dining experience at Oyatte spans two floors [1]. Guests are served a tasting menu consisting of 15 courses [1], which are designed to highlight ingredients at their peak of freshness.
To ensure the quality and seasonality of the produce, Lee established a partnership with Crown Daisy Farm, located in upstate New York [1]. This collaboration allows the kitchen to source hyper-seasonal ingredients and develop specific ferments that define the menu's flavor profile.
The restaurant aims to showcase the intersection of global culinary techniques and local agriculture. By leveraging a decade of international experience, Lee integrates diverse methods into a menu rooted in the soil of the U.S. Northeast [1].
“Chef Hasung Lee opened Oyatte after more than ten years in elite kitchens.”
The launch of Oyatte reflects a broader trend in the New York City culinary scene where chefs are moving away from traditional luxury imports in favor of hyper-local partnerships. By tying the menu directly to the output of Crown Daisy Farm, the restaurant reduces the distance between the field and the plate, emphasizing ecological sustainability, and the seasonal rhythms of upstate New York.
