(Left) Shin Jong-cheol, executive chef of The Ambassador Seoul, giving culinary advice to actor Lim Yoona (center) (The Ambassador Seoul)


At 1955 Groceria inside The Ambassador Seoul, a dinner course unfolds that is as much about narrative as it is about flavor. Priced at 155,000 won 바다이야기합법 per person and running through Jan. 31, the Daeryeong Suksu Course is a special, drama-inspired tasting menu created by Shin Jong-cheol, executive chef of The Ambassador Seoul and culinary advisor to 온라인야마토게임 tvN’s drama “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty.”



1955 Groceria displays costumes worn by the daeryeong suksu (royal master chef) alongside cooking props from the 바다이야기모바일 show. (Hong Yoo/The Korea Herald)


Chef Shin not only supervised the drama’s food styling but also made a cameo appearance. More significantly, 1955 Groceria itself ap 바다이야기오리지널 pears in the final episode as the restaurant where the heroine, played by Lim Yoon-a, returns to the present day to work as a chef. The drama’s ending scenes were filmed here, and during the promotion 릴게임온라인 period, the restaurant is displaying costumes worn by the daeryeong suksu (royal master chef) alongside cooking props from the show, adding a layer of visual storytelling to the dining experience.
The timing also coincides with international recognition. Chef Shin was recently named the La Liste 2026 Culinary Impact Award Korea recipient, honoring his leadership and contribution to contemporary Korean gastronomy. The citation highlights his ability to reinterpret Korean culinary heritage through refined technique and precision, elevating hotel dining with what La Liste described as a true form of Korean culinary hospitality.



Beef tartare with gamtae cookie (Hong Yoo/The Korea Herald)


The course begins with a welcome drink -- a bokbunja (Korean black raspberry) highball -- followed by a standout welcome bite: beef tartare served on a crisp gamtae cookie, topped with sea urchin roe and caviar. The interplay of oceanic aroma, savory beef and the cookie’s subtle sweetness makes it one of the most memorable dishes of the evening, even if its single-bite portion leaves diners wanting more.
The first course draws inspiration from Yudu, a traditional seasonal feast once enjoyed in royal and aristocratic households on the 15th day of the lunar sixth month. Seven seasonal herbs and thinly sliced squid are presented with chewy, tender wheat crepes, some prerolled and others left for diners to assemble themselves with a light mustard sauce. The flavors are clean and refreshing rather than dramatic, but the visual composition is elegant and celebratory.
Bread service includes the restaurant’s signature loaf and a Mont Blanc Danish. While the signature bread resembles a sourdough, the Danish — rich, buttery and brushed with butter after being rubbed with rosemary — easily steals the spotlight.
The second course, an on-top tofu with pollack double consomme, bridges Western technique and Korean restraint. Pollack is simmered twice using a French consomme method, with rice-washed broth to remove fishiness, resulting in a clear, deeply savory soup. Finely diced vegetables add texture, while the seasoning remains precise and understated.



Korean black chicken ginseng soup (Hong Yoo/The Korea Herald)


One of the most theatrical moments arrives with the third course: Korean black chicken ginseng soup. Inspired by a historical dish known as “black soup,” said to have been enjoyed by King Sukjong and Lady Jang Hui-bin, the reinterpretation features ogolgye (black chicken), ginseng, black garlic, jujube, chestnut, black rice and mushrooms. A dome of crisped rice crowns the dish; when cracked, servers pour the broth tableside. Sweet, glutinous rice layered with chicken skin and meat evokes a dumpling-like structure, while gentle notes of jujube and ginseng linger. This dish appears prominently in episodes nine and 12 of “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty,” during a pivotal cooking duel between Joseon and Ming dynasty chefs — a moment framed in the drama as a battle for royal pride and national fate.



Soybean paste pasta with river snails and ark shell clams (Hong Yoo/The Korea Herald)


The fourth course takes a playful turn: soybean paste pasta with river snails and ark shell clams. Three regional doenjangs, including Jeju green soybean paste, are blended with cream to form a surprisingly subtle sauce. Basil sauce is served alongside, encouraging diners to mix the two. The thin pasta, fresh seafood and creamy texture deliver umami depth, though the fermented character of doenjang remains intentionally restrained.
Cod mousse with white wine sauce follows. The fish is flaked, mashed and shaped into a neat round, paired with greens and a sauce dotted with salmon roe. While elegant, the texture leans closer to fish cake than to the flaky character of cod, slightly muting the ingredient’s natural identity.



Korean-style beef bourguignon (Hong Yoo/The Korea Herald)


The savory courses conclude with a Korean-style beef bourguignon. Short rib is marinated in bulgogi sauce, then slowly braised with red wine and vegetables. Presented almost like a tteokgalbi, topped with a crisp rice tuile, the dish balances tender meat, precise doneness and rich sauce, accompanied by potatoes and ice plant.



Black sesame macaron (Hong Yoo/The Korea Herald)


Dessert is a black sesame macaron made with rice flour shells and filled with low-sugar black sesame cream. Its texture differs markedly from classic French macarons, which may surprise some diners, but the nutty flavor is gentle and refined. Coffee or tea is served alongside.
Throughout the meal, the intention is clear. Chef Shin has invested considerable care in recreating the drama’s dishes while translating them into a contemporary fine-dining language. Western forms filtered through Korean flavors add an element of discovery, and the overall structure feels particularly well-suited to diners who prefer familiar, comforting profiles over aggressively modern techniques.
At its core, the Daeryeong Suksu Course is a rare example of television storytelling successfully carried into a restaurant setting -- not as novelty, but as a cohesive, thoughtful dining experience rooted in Korean culinary identity.