Ever wondered how vegetables travel from the soil to your supper? At Fiotto, you'll trace every leaf and root, knowing exactly where they sprout and what graces your plate.
On Mondays and Tuesdays, chefs Lee Dong-ho and Kim Ji-hye trade their chef's whites for farmer hats and escape to Yeongcheon, a city in North Gyeongsang Province about 350 kilometers southwest of Seoul. Here, on Lee’s parents' farm, they roll up their sleeves and dive into the soil, nurturing the ingredients that form the lifeblood of their menu.
The farm work changes with the seasons, varying from month to month or even week to week. Currently, in May and June, the main tasks are weeding and monitoring the harvest time. “Though we mostly handle farm work on our days off, occasionally, we head to the farm early in the morning on business days to do some harvesting,” Kim shared.
“We start our Mondays at the crack of dawn, aligning with the time our child wakes up. By around 10:00 AM, we're usually on our way to the farm,” Kim continued. Upon arrival, they check the crops that have changed over the past few days, identify areas needing weed removal, and pinpoint which crops are ready for harvest.
“On Tuesdays, we kick off the day early with farm work. The morning is dedicated to weeding, harvesting, and tidying up the outer leaves of the crops for composting. By afternoon, we head back to Busan, aiming to arrive no later than 8:00 PM, to sort and prepare the day’s harvest at the restaurant. We wash the garnished vegetables for the week and pack them in reusable containers. We also sort and store crops for kombucha, drying, or fermentation in various sections,” Kim shared.
Their unwavering dedication to green practices is reflected in them cultivating between 30 to 40 varieties of crops: from different types of cabbages and pumpkin to herbs such as lemon thyme, oregano, and chamomile, which become the heart and soul of their restaurant’s offerings. For them, the journey from farm to table is not just a concept but a heartfelt practice that guarantees the freshest, most authentic ingredients. Understanding the origins of their produce, they believe, is the secret ingredient to their culinary artistry.
Tucked away in Dalmaji-gil, Fiotto stands out as a beacon of the farm-to-table movement. Led by the dedicated duo of chefs Lee and Kim, Fiotto is redefining what it means to eat locally. They are both the farmers and the chefs who serve their customers. "We have no roots; our roots are in nature," Lee muses, perfectly capturing the spirit of their gastronomic vision.
Both Lee and Kim Ji-hye have decided to relocate their farm closer to the city, near where they live. This bold leap aims to create a more integrated and sustainable operation, seamlessly blending urban and rural food systems.
“One of the reasons we are considering moving to Busan is to streamline this routine,” Kim says. “We aim to relocate closer to home so that we can harvest crops in the morning and bring them directly to work. This move would allow us to check on the farm more frequently, cultivate a wider variety of crops, and ensure that freshly harvested produce can make it to our customers' tables on the same day. Freshness is our priority, and having the farm closer would enable us to use the freshest vegetables possible.”
“Currently, the distance between our restaurant and the farm means that any leftover or unusable produce often turns yellow and ends up as food waste. However, with the farm nearby, we could gather these remnants, compost them in the evening, and minimize waste. This plan aligns with our goal of sustainability and freshness, ensuring that we can offer our customers the best quality ingredients while reducing waste,” said Kim. The whole process will eventually reduce their environmental footprint, she added.
By bridging the gap between urban dining and rural farming, Fiotto is not just serving meals; it's planting the seeds of a deeper connection to nature and sustainability. Their secret? "We get fewer customers and work harder," Lee says.
Charting New Waters
Fiotto holds the unique distinction of being the city's sole MICHELIN Green Star restaurant and a recipient of a MICHELIN star in 2024. Yet, resting on their laurels is not in their playbook. Fiotto provides an intimate dining experience that weaves a tapestry of connection between chefs and guests. The restaurant’s layout, featuring a single long table and an open kitchen, is the heart of this dance, inviting interaction and immediate feedback. This setting transforms each meal into a narrative, tracing the journey of every dish from farm to table.
“We first cultivated butternut squash last year and discovered its surprisingly firm texture and fibrous nature. Despite its resemblance in sweetness to the common old pumpkin, it had less of a watery aroma. We sliced and layered it, creating a mille-feuille effect,” Kim says. “Topped with our homemade speck from Jeju black pork, it delivered a savory umami crescendo. The butter-enriched base amplified the squash’s inherent sweetness. Our guests, well-acquainted with the buttery delight, often lauded the distinct taste of butternut squash, a refreshing departure from the pumpkins they knew.”
Kim underscores the importance of educating guests about their ingredients, often using photos and videos from the farm. This transparency enriches the dining experience and fosters a greater appreciation for the food. "I often struggle with how to showcase these ingredients to customers and convince them of their quality and appeal," Lee said. However, as Lee explains, “It’s important to stay true to your philosophy even if it’s not the norm. Criticism will come, but if your efforts are grounded in genuine passion and sustainability, they will find their own audience.” This principle guides their approach, reinforcing the importance of authenticity in their culinary philosophy.
Savoring the Symphony of Seasonal Flavors
At Fiotto, dishes evolve with the changing seasons. One shining example is their treatment of eggplant. "Eggplants are harvested from mid-summer to late autumn," Kim explains. The texture and flavor of eggplants evolve with the seasons, requiring different culinary approaches. In summer, they are tender and full of moisture, perfect for a layered eggplant lasagna. By autumn, the skin thickens, prompting the chefs to peel, powder, and ferment the eggplant to preserve it through winter.Fiotto’s dedication to sustainability goes far beyond their menu. “We’ve slashed food waste and packaging by using 100 percent farm-grown vegetables,” Kim says. They leave no stone unturned, recycling everything from composting food scraps to using reusable containers for their produce.
Creativity is the hallmark of Fiotto's menu. Lee and Kim employ traditional techniques like charcuterie and fermentation, but with a unique twist. For instance, they craft their own charcuterie from locally sourced pigs, enhancing their understanding of both the meat and the curing process.
“This year, we expanded our cultivation of herbs significantly,” Lee explains. “We realized we needed to enhance our stocks' robustness. With the recent availability of fresh herbs, we've been intensifying our use of various stocks—whether it's rich chicken bone stock, local breed stock, or complex oryx stock. However, this increased intensity in our stocks resulted in dishes that, while delicious, began to feel uniform. To counter this, we started incorporating a wider variety of herbs, which introduced a delightful complexity and balance to our dishes.”
The spotlight on herbs has prompted the chefs to dabble in an array of preservation and preparation methods. “We’re not merely tinkering with novel culinary techniques,” Lee explains. “We’re delving into how to best harness our crops—be it through salt fermentation, blending them into kombucha, crafting them into pastes or pestos, or even concocting traditional jang. These methods unearth distinctive flavors and keep our dishes brimming with excitement.”
“It truly opens their eyes to the significance of sustainable eating.”
"Our guests often aren't aware of the vegetable distribution process," explains the chef with a thoughtful expression. "If we could shorten even just part of this process, it would increase the variety of vegetables available to us. For instance, outer leaves, which we typically discard, can actually be used effectively. Take onions, for example. After harvesting, we cure them ourselves. This method allows us to utilize the onion skins in numerous ways. Similarly, the flower stalks of green onions or the scapes that form when garlic bulbs are developing – these parts, which are often overlooked, have a lot of potential uses."
The chef continues, emphasizing the educational aspect: "When I share this information with our guests, they begin to see the difference between purchasing vegetables from a supermarket versus a local farm. They understand the value of directly connecting with farmers and realize the importance of supporting them."
"There is a swell of pride when guests tell us it's their first time savoring vegetables so deliciously. When they bite into our eggplant or other vegetables, they often exclaim, 'I had no idea eggplant could taste this divine. I typically shy away from this vegetable, but here it's a whole new ballgame,'" chef Kim shares.
Chef Lee thoughtfully reflects, “If diversity and individuality are respected, culinary culture will flourish, expanding people's boundaries. This openness can create a welcoming environment for future chefs to introduce new ideas. By fostering such a culture, we can avoid the trap of following a single homogenized trend. Instead, we can appreciate and encourage innovation and variety in our culinary practices.”
