In New York, the world's gastronomic capital, a Korean restaurant has proudly won the title of 'Top Class' in a fierce competition for taste. It is New York's leading fine-dining Korean restaurant 'Atomix,' which currently holds two Michelin stars and three New York Times stars. Earlier this year, Atomix was also recognized and listed among the '2022 Best Overseas Korean Restaurants' by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs of Korea jointly with the Korean Food Promotion Institute in recognition of its contributions to raising the international stature of Korean cuisine.

Atomix Captivates the Palates of Global Gourmets with Korean Ingredients and Recipes

Atomix, the second restaurant of chefs Junghyun Park and Ellia Park, goes beyond the simple making and selling of food by sharing the culture and stories behind the ingredients, cooking techniques, tableware, and formal dressings.

CEO Park, who makes special efforts to share the Korean language in its authentic form, says, "I believe language has great power in popularizing culture and I wanted to create a window of opportunity for foreigners to acquire Korean through our menus that are notated with their original names." In fact, Atomix presents its menu using the original Korean names of its dishes and ingredients instead of translating them into understandable English form. For example, 'Ganjang' is used in place of soy sauce and 'Mu' instead of 'radish.'

At Atomix, one can also find Korean culture sensibly fused throughout the restaurant, such as in tableware made by a Korean potter and uniforms designed by a Korean designer. "We are also thriving to introduce Korea's drink culture such as soju and tea, and by pairing artisan drinks with Korean dishes, we expect to offer new experiences in Korean food culture," said Park.

Power of 'Storytelling,' Key to the Selection of 'Best Overseas Korean Restaurant' Award

Atomix was selected as '2022 Best Overseas Korean Restaurant' by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korean Food Promotion Institute for its excellence in quality, service, hygiene, and ingredient management, as well as its contributions to the promotion of Korean food.  Since last year, the Korean Food Promotion Institute has operated a program of recognizing excellent overseas Korean restaurants in an effort to improve the quality of Korean food and protect consumers, and has been providing benefits such as supporting the purchase of domestic ingredients and tableware.

CEO Park cites 'storytelling' as the competitive edge of Atomix. "Atomix doesn't simply provide food but tries to provide added value to the dining experience by telling the story of each food through our menu cards," she explained. Park continued, "I believe that our combined effort to promote Korean food along with Korean language and culture contributed to the achievement of being selected as 'Best Overseas Korean Restaurant.' As we feel a strong responsibility for our role, we will continue to work hard and contemplate on the future direction of Korean food."

Last year, Atomix ranked first in the United States' 'The World's 50 Best Restaurants,' often called the Oscars of the gastronomic world, and ranked second in the '2023 New York 100 Best Restaurants' by the New York Times, continuing its extraordinary achievements as an overseas Korean restaurant. "I'm glad that interest in Korean food culture seems to be increasing each year. We find it very meaningful that not only Atomix, but many other Korean restaurants are also ranked on the New York's 100 Restaurant list," said CEO Park.  

"Foreigners Enjoying Gukbap and Ssam Veggies" - Popularization of Korean Food Culture Witnessed On-site

Despite the existence of various ingredients and recipes for Korean food, only similar menus such as Korean barbecue, bibimbap, and kimchi have been mentioned in statistical data examining non-Koreans' impression of Korean food. However, an increasing number of local foreigners are seen enjoying gukbap (rice soup), and ssam (vegetable wraps) more casually today.

Compared to the time CEO Park opened her first Korean restaurant, Atoboy, seven years ago, she now can compare and identify how the customers' understanding of Korean food has improved. "In the past, we had to explain each menu one by one, but now the level of reading and deciphering menus such as nuruk (yeast), doenjang, and ganjang has improved greatly," she said. "Today, many people have come to understand the diversity of Korean menus, but the most significant change is that the Korean way of eating bap (rice) together with side dishes and guk (soup) is finally being understood and accepted," said Park. "And from personally witnessing and experiencing the popularization of Korean cuisine from a specific menu into an entire food culture, I feel a greater sense of responsibility."

This increased interest in Korean cuisine has brought convenience for Atomix, which remains faithful to Korean ingredients such as domestic rice, artisanal jang, and red pepper powder, in the way they supply ingredients. CEO Park said, "Until now, the pastes (jang) made by artisans were directly supplied by the artistans, but now, as the general interest and level of Korean food has increased, good ingredients can be obtained more easily through e-commerce or related companies," she said.

"The Goal is to Promote Korean Culture in a Positive Way"

Atomix is ​​also actively conducting various collaborations with world-famous restaurant chefs in New York. CEO Park said, "I try to understand a country through the ingredients and food culture of other countries, and I always think about how to apply that learning to Atomix. Foreign chefs also experience Korean ingredients and food culture through Atomix and also develop new menus based on that experience." She added that she sees collaboration between restaurants as an asset and inspiration to advance in becoming a world-class restaurant.

Lastly, regarding her future goals, CEO Park said, "I think it is important to create a meaningful Korean language and culture experience, not simply serving food."

ATOMIX
Address │ 104 East 30th St New York, NY 10016
Hours │ Tuesday-Sunday (5:30 PM-11:00 PM) / Closed on Mondays

References Atomix, The World's 50 Best Restaurants