The five-star Conrad Seoul hotel, part of the Hilton Group, located on International Financial Road in Yeouido, Seoul, has undergone a major renovation of its premium buffet restaurant "Zest." This is the first renewal of Zest since the opening of Conrad Seoul in 2012.
Zest, which unveiled its new look starting on the 27th, consists of five stations: △Ocean △Ranch △Bistro △Oriental △Patisserie. It features a concept of "luxury buffet & dining" that includes over 120 dishes, "live cooking" prepared on the spot by chefs, and a table-ordering system for "signature dining." Premium menu items served at the table include "chicken morel soup" and "negitoro donburi."
Each station offers dishes from around the world. To provide a more luxurious dining experience, the buffet has boldly departed from the conventional categories of Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and Western cuisine.
The Ocean station presents fresh seafood prepared in various ways. Guests can enjoy sashimi, sushi, steamed dishes, as well as six kinds of "iroyaki" filled with charcoal aroma, offering a colorful experience of marine flavors.
The Ranch corner features high-quality meat dishes. Premium cuts, such as Korean beef ribs, Jeju black pork porchetta, and pure Iberico bellota, will be meticulously prepared and served to customers.
The Oriental section focused on recreating local flavors that are not easily experienced in Korea. The standout dish, Hainan chicken rice, is prepared using a traditional recipe from Singapore. The Bistro corner offers creamy carbonara cooked on the spot from a wheel of natural Parmigiano cheese and freshly baked pizza from a wood-fired oven, delivering rich flavors and authentic Italian taste.
The Pâtisserie section is an independent space featuring high-end dessert menus. It offers a variety of desserts made in-house, along with customizable options for crepes and ice cream in desired styles.
Mark Meaney, the general manager of Conrad Seoul, noted, "Zest has been offering a variety of buffet dishes for the past 12 years, and now is the time for new attempts." He added, "We have prepared sections organized around various themes instead of by country and plan to invite several renowned chefs for events in the future."
The Irish-born Meaney has accumulated nearly 30 years of experience in hotels across various continents, including Europe, North America, and Asia. Before joining Conrad Seoul in 2016, he served as the general manager of Conrad Centennial Singapore.