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There’s an intensity in the kitchen that never quite leaves Seungje Han’s demeanor. It’s not theatrical or performative—it’s quiet, disciplined, exact. The kind of composure that only comes from years spent building mastery across vastly different culinary environments: banquet halls, military kitchens, Michelin-starred fine dining. Each setting demands something different. For Han, they’ve all contributed to a singular skill: the ability to translate pressure into refinement.
Han's Background
Born and raised in South Korea, Han’s culinary foundation was laid early through a rigorous three-year program at Korea Culinary Arts Science High School. There, he trained in both classical Korean and international techniques, quickly distinguishing himself through a string of national and international culinary competitions. At just 19, he was awarded a gold medal at the Republic of Korea International Culinary Competition. But accolades alone weren’t enough. Han wanted rigor, real service experience, and the kind of volume that teaches stamina.
He found that in an unexpected place: the South Korean army, where he served as a military cook preparing three meals a day for more than 400 soldiers. Ingredient sourcing, sanitation, consistency—it was an education in systems, not just recipes. But Han’s pursuit of refinement never slowed. After his service, he moved to the United States to attend the Culinary Institute of America, where he immersed himself in foundational French techniques, plating philosophy, and modern gastronomy.
What He Learnt
It was during this time that he staged at Estela, one of New York’s most respected modern American kitchens. Working under Chef Ignacio Mattos, Han rotated through high-pressure stations, learning not just about technique, but also about voice—how a chef’s identity could be expressed through subtle choices in acid, temperature, and form. By the time he joined the brigade at Gabriel Kreuther in 2024, Han was fluent in the language of fine dining. There, in the two-Michelin-starred kitchen known for Alsatian precision and French exactitude, he began to find his place among the city’s most elite cooks.
Han's Approach Now
One of the best distillations of Han’s skill lies in his approach to sauces. He treats them not as afterthoughts but as engineered experiences—delicate emulsions or reductions where every flavor is layered with intention. His Wine Reduction with Sea Buckthorn and Prunes is a perfect example. Designed to accompany game meats or rich autumn vegetables, the sauce is vivid and contemplative: tart, dark, fragrant with slow-cooked fruit, and balanced by vinegar’s edge. Like the chef himself, it’s quiet in delivery but sharp in detail.
Wine Reduction with Sea Buckthorn and Prunes
Recipe by Chef Seungje Han
Ingredients
- 30g sea buckthorn
- 15g sugar
- 50ml balsamic vinegar
- 100ml red wine
- 20g prunes, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a saucepan, sauté the sea buckthorn berries with sugar over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, until softened and aromatic.
- In a separate pan, reduce the balsamic vinegar gently until slightly thickened.
- Add the red wine to the vinegar and continue to reduce over low heat until the mixture reaches a syrupy consistency.
- Stir in the sautéed sea buckthorn and finely chopped prunes.
- Simmer the sauce until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Strain if desired or leave as is for added texture.
- Serve warm, ideally alongside roasted venison, duck, or earthy root vegetables.
This sauce, like much of Han’s cuisine, doesn’t seek to overwhelm. It integrates. It supports. It elevates. It demonstrates what defines him as a chef: control, intuition, and balance. These are not simply techniques but habits—habits formed in kitchens where speed and precision weren’t optional, and in restaurants where even a tenth of a degree could separate a great dish from an average one.
Today, Han continues to work with relentless focus at Gabriel Kreuther, helping uphold the standard of a restaurant known for near-flawless execution. His future, by all accounts, is bright—but not in a flashy, meteoric way. His ascent is steady, sharpened by discipline, and shaped by the understanding that excellence, like a reduction, comes not from excess, but from patient concentration.
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Seungje Han’s Wine Reduction with Sea Buckthorn and Prunes
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 30 g sea buckthorn
- 15 g sugar
- 50 ml balsamic vinegar
- 100 ml red wine
- 20 g prunes finely chopped
Instructions
- In a saucepan, sauté the sea buckthorn berries with sugar over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, until softened and aromatic.
- In a separate pan, reduce the balsamic vinegar gently until slightly thickened.
- Add the red wine to the vinegar and continue to reduce over low heat until the mixture reaches a syrupy consistency.
- Stir in the sautéed sea buckthorn and finely chopped prunes.
- Simmer the sauce until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Strain if desired, or leave rustic for added texture.
- Serve warm, ideally alongside roasted venison, duck, or earthy root vegetables.
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