High Dining Chef Opens Hell's Kitchen Tasting Menu Spot

HELL'S KITCHEN, — A chef who has helmed the kitchens at some of New York City's most acclaimed restaurants has branched out to open his first solo venture in Hell's Kitchen.

Chef Sungchul Shim's new restaurant Kochi opened recently at 652 10th Avenue on the corner of West 46th Street. The restaurant features a nine-course tasting menu that features a number of skewered dishes and dishes inspired by the cuisine of the royal court of Korea's Joseon Dynasty.

The traditional dishes served at Kochi are updated by Shim's use of local and seasonal ingredients, a representative of the new restaurant said. Shim — who has worked in the kitchens at high-dining icons such as Per Se, Le Bernadin and Neta — also puts his own spin on the dishes by utilizing French and Japanese techniques learned during his cooking career.

Kochi's nine-course tasting menu costs $75 per diner and features dishes such as skewered Bossam, a vichyssoise soup with pine nuts and potatoes, grilled mackerel, and ribeye steak stuffed with a sweet rice cake. Diners can also order supplemental menu items a la carte. The restaurant also features a beverage menu with numerous specialty cocktails with the Korean spirit Soju.

The new Hell's Kitchen eatery seats 24 customers in its main dining room and 11 at a counter by the open kitchen. Kochi is open seven days per week from 5:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., according to a restaurant spokesperson.