7th Door

7th Door, Korean fine dining based on fermentation and aging in Seoul

7th Door is a fine dining restaurant led by Chef Kim Dae-chun, who presents his project as the crowning stage of a 20-year gastronomic quest. Its approach revolves around fermentation and aging, techniques the chef considers part of the DNA of Korean cuisine.

The restaurant's name, meaning "seventh door," sums up its concept: the first five doors correspond to the five fundamental tastes and the sixth to fermentation and aging. The space is organized around a long hallway designed according to that concept, symbolizing the six doors and leading to the seventh.

A journey through the hallway and the open kitchen

Along the hallway, a glass cabinet displays various ingredients and vessels in the process of fermentation and aging between 3 and 10 years. These preparations are made by Chef Kim himself or in collaboration with some of the renowned master food artisans in Korea.

At the end of the journey is the seventh door, which gives access to the dining room: a three-sided bar with fourteen seats. On the other side of the bar is the fully open kitchen, where the chef and his team prepare the dishes in view of the diners.

Fermentation and aging as the foundation of the cuisine

The restaurant uses fermented and aged ingredients in diverse ways — vegetables, fish and meat, among others — in the preparation of its dishes. According to the restaurant's own information, these preparations are Korean ferments that the chef makes specifically for 7th Door or develops together with master artisans, with periods ranging from a minimum of 3 years to more than 10 years.

The approach is not limited to discovering new tastes, but also to rediscovering old tastes, according to the establishment's own description.

Michelin recognition

7th Door was awarded a Michelin star in the Michelin Guide Seoul 2021, coinciding with its first year of opening. The site also indicates that the restaurant appears in the Michelin Guide Seoul 2023 with one star.

Contact for press and general enquiries

For general enquiries and press photos, the restaurant indicates that you should contact PR Manager Marie Lee via email at pr@dccreative.kr. The site itself warns that reservations are not accepted through that address.