HANU was delighted to host a special two-night collaboration with Mari, the Michelin-starred New York restaurant celebrated for redefining the artistry of Korean hand rolls. Held on 21 and 22 January, the collaboration brought together HANU’s Executive Chef Kyungsoo Moon and Chef Sungchul Shim, the Michelin-starred Korean American chef behind Mari, for a limited-seat dining experience that marked Mari’s debut in Dubai.
Known for its refined yet deeply personal interpretation of Korean cuisine, Mari has earned international acclaim for elevating the hand roll into a fine-dining format, one that honours craftsmanship, balance, and the evolution of Korean culinary identity. At the heart of the concept is Chef Sungchul Shim, whose cooking reflects both his Korean heritage and his classical training, resulting in dishes that feel soulful, thoughtful, and contemporary. Chef Sungchul Shim has also gained global recognition through his participation in the popular Netflix series Culinary War: Season 2, further establishing his voice as one of the most compelling figures in contemporary Korean cuisine.
Across the two nights, Chef Sungchul Shim will join Chef Kyung Soo Moon at HANU to present a 15-course set menu shaped by shared philosophies around technique, balance, and modern Korean expression. The menu unfolds as a dialogue between refined hand-roll artistry and contemporary Korean cuisine, featuring dishes such as Jeju Island Monaka, Egg Custard, Beef Tartare, Abalone and Prawn Jeon, Ganjang Gejang, and a selection of hand rolls with salmon, mackerel, and Hanwoo galbi. The experience continues with Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup (Samgyetang), Hoengseong Hanwoo en Croute, and noodle courses, before concluding with Olives and Mango, Black Sesame Seed Ice Cream, HANU Snowman, and traditional Dasik.
“Chef Sungchul’s work with Mari represents a new chapter in how Korean cuisine is expressed globally,” says Chef Kyung Soo Moon, Executive Chef at HANU. “This collaboration is about respect for tradition, precision in execution, and creating something meaningful together, a conversation between New York and Seoul, interpreted here in Dubai.”
Hosted in an intimate setting, the experience will feature two seatings each evening at 6 PM and 9 PM, limited to 10 guests per seating priced at AED 895 per person excluding drinks.
