A Chat with Chef Louis Han of NAE:UM, GU:UM & HIDEAWAY
3 days ago
We linked up with celebrated Singapore-based chef Louis Han of NAE:UM, GU:UM, and HIDEAWAY for a chat about his upcoming kitchen takeover at The RuMa and his prolific career.
Seoul-born and Singapore-based, chef Louis Han speaks the language of culinary syncretism. A look into his menus is a look into the staples of South Korean cuisine, presented in a contemporary manner that branches into the techniques and nuances we see in other corners of the world. His first step into Singapore came at the hands of acclaimed restaurant group Zen, which introduced him to the city’s burgeoning dining scene. After meeting his wife, his “few years in Singapore” turned into a permanent stay that gave way to the opening of his acclaimed restaurants NAE:UM and GU:UM as well as private dining space HIDEAWAY.
Fast forward some years and one Michelin star later, Han has become one of the most recognisable names in the Southeast Asian dining community, continuing to push the needle with his soulful and memorable cooking that retains sophistication on each plate. Later this week, he is set to make his mark on the grills at The RuMa for his one-night-only showcase of GU:UM’s signature fire-grilled creations. Ahead of his kitchen takeover, we sat down for a conversation with the decorated chef about his cooking ethos, rise to chef stardom, and more.
When and where did you begin your culinary career?I enrolled in culinary school when I was 16 years old, in Seoul. My first job was at InterContinental Parnas Seoul.
What is your first memory of cooking?I’d just started in culinary school, I felt very excited and wanted to try different experiments. So I remember cooking an egg omelette with strawberries for my mum. Unsurprisingly, it did not go well.
What is the collective mission or ethos of your three restaurants, NAE:UM, GU:UM, and HIDEAWAY?Sincerity and memorable dining are key. We want to provide a sense of familiarity to keep our diners returning.
How would you describe NAE:UM, GU:UM, and HIDEAWAY’s menus and how they differ from each other?Each restaurant is a little bit different, but at the core of it I like to go back to my Korean roots, then branch out in a more contemporary style. At NAE:UM, diners can see the most refined version of this. Thus far, we’ve changed the eight-course menu at NAE:UM completely every six months, with every menu themed around a nostalgic memory, and the foods associated with that memory. If I were to count snacks and dagwa (our version of petit fours), I must’ve created more than 150 items over the past four years!
At GU:UM, I create a more casual menu, which is still Korean-rooted but with a modern twist and designed to be shared. I started GU:UM so that food can be enjoyed by large groups and by every family member from the young to the old. We want the dishes to be something you’d want to keep coming back for every few weeks.
Lastly, HIDEAWAY by NAE:UM is the private space extension of NAE:UM, so the menu format is similar to the restaurant itself, however we infuse more global flavours to give my Executive Chef and Head Chef—who are Singaporean and Malaysian respectively—room to play with their own roots and creativity. We also offer menu customisations at HIDEAWAY. For example, we just did a private event for a beauty company and they wanted dishes that centered around a few new scents they were launching. As a whole, with NAE:UM, GU:UM and HIDEAWAY, I feel I am better able to address a variety of diner demands.
How did it feel opening the doors to your first restaurant?We opened the doors to NAE:UM just a week before Singapore announced a dine-out shutdown during the Covid-19 pandemic, so I definitely felt a cocktail of emotions on each day. Most of all, I felt a heavy sense of responsibility, delivering my cuisine out to the world.
What has been a pivotal lesson from early in your career that you still carry with you today?Persistence and never giving up. A culinary career is a challenging one, it’s important to never give up, even if it feels like you’re failing a lot. My strawberry egg omelette was definitely a failure. If I had given up early then, I would not have been able to grow, to learn, and to improve.
On the other hand, what was a major setback or challenge in your career that still stays with you today and has now become a vital part of your development as a chef?Opening a restaurant in the midst of the pandemic was definitely a major setback. We had customers booked for dinner and had to reschedule them one-by-one due to the restrictions on dining out. Not to mention, we had no idea how long the restrictions would last.
At one point, we had to swivel to full-on delivery mode, which came with its own set of challenges, such as riders not showing up, food spillage by riders, deliveries to the wrong location, and so forth. All of these put the restaurant’s reputation at risk and we had zero customer base, zero stickiness to start with. From that experience, I learned to always expect the worst, yet hope for the best. Be cautiously optimistic and always have a Plan B ready.
As a chef, how important do you think staying curious outside of the kitchen is to your evolution?It is really important. After spending long hours in the kitchen, when I do get to travel—either for work or leisure—it always becomes an eye-opening experience. Just seeing how different people live and the food culture they have built can give a lot of inspiration to chefs.
With that, how do you think cooking outside your own kitchen, such as your upcoming stint at The RuMa, keeps you on your toes and on top of your game?Any experience at a kitchen that is not mine is a chance for me and my team to learn. At The RuMa, we will be taking over ATAS Restaurant’s kitchen. It is always a challenge to organise prep work within a new kitchen layout with different equipment, but whenever I do such outside stints, I always get to learn new things from the host chefs.
What is something you’ve been looking forward to with this kitchen takeover at The RuMa?I’m very much looking forward to working with locally-sourced Malaysian fresh produce, as well as cooking halal Hanwoo beef. Apart from these interesting ingredients, I’m excited to showcase our communal dining culture, which is a commonality between Malaysia and South Korea. If you come to my grandmother’s house, she will laden the table with so much food there’s no space left. When I dined at ATAS last month, it was an uncanny experience!
What’s one thing you are excited for guests to experience at this kitchen takeover at The RuMa?I’m excited for guests to experience our modern approach to Korean food, a different way to enjoy meat cuts than the perennial Korean barbecue style. Both GU:UM and The RuMa are aligned in celebrating our culture and heritage, so diners can enjoy the synergy of our collaboration.
In your opinion, what is the power of food beyond being a crucial source of sustenance?Food is memory and connection. All of our milestones, celebrations, happy occasions with friends and family would typically have a spread of food accompanying them. Whether it is home-cooked or at a restaurant, we can fondly recall memories of our loved ones’ birthdays, happy holidays or getting our first jobs when we eat a similar food once more. Also, it connects people through a kind of universal language.
When I eat someone’s cooking, although I may not be able to understand their spoken language completely, I can understand their philosophy and personality based on the food they serve. They may be more traditional, fun and experimental, or persistent and disciplined. On that note, I hope to convey sincerity through the food I cook.
What is one city you think every gourmand should visit and why?Seoul, South Korea! Apart from it being my hometown, the Seoul culinary scene has developed significantly. All over the city, you’ll find interesting hidden spots, independent restaurants, and wine bars each with their own charm. A lot of talented chefs have returned to Seoul after spending time working in acclaimed restaurants all over the world, it is really amazing.
Chef Louis Han and GU:UM head chef Sanggil Byeon will be taking over ATAS at The RuMa for one night only on 12 July 2025. Find out more and make your reservations by contacting +603 2778 0763.
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