Chef Hasung Lee Debuts Oyatte at 125 East 39th Street

The French Laundry and Atomix alumnus introduces a farm-driven tasting experience rooted in seasonality and preservation

NEW YORK, New York, May 5, 2026 – Oyatte, the inaugural fine-dining restaurant from Chef Hasung Lee, opens in Manhattan’s Murray Hill neighborhood [125 E 39th St, New York, NY 10016]. Marking the debut of Chef Lee’s anticipated solo vision, Oyatte is conceived as the first full expression of his culinary voice after a career shaped in some of the world’s most influential kitchens, including The French Laundry, Atomix, Gramercy Tavern, and Geranium in Copenhagen. 

A contemporary tasting menu experience rooted in seasonality, Oyatte is built around a commitment to a single upstate New York farm – Crown Daisy Farm, led by Brett Ellis (former head farmer at The French Laundry) – with a culinary philosophy that emphasizes sustainable sourcing, fermentation, and preservation. Oyatte is imagined as a chef’s home set within a small farm. Guests begin their journey on the first floor featuring an earthy, European farmhouse sensibility aligned with the menu’s initial vegetable-centric courses, before ascending to a more intimate dining room upstairs, where the experience deepens and continues to unfold.

THE TEAM

Oyatte marks the first fully independent restaurant from Chef Hasung Lee. Born and raised in South Korea before moving to the U.S. in his early 20s, he began his career at Gramercy Tavern in 2014, followed by time spent at the three-Michelin-starred Geranium in Copenhagen. He later returned to New York to serve as Chef de Cuisine of Atomix, where he was instrumental in building the restaurant into the critically acclaimed global dining destination it is today, helping to earn its two Michelin stars during his tenure. In 2021, he joined The French Laundry as a Sous Chef, spending two years under Chef Thomas Keller, before turning his focus to open Oyatte – bringing his global fine-dining pedigree, focused leadership, and a deep commitment to seasonality and farm-driven cooking to his first restaurant. In 2026, Chef Lee also gained international attention competing under the moniker “Culinary Monster” on season two of Netflix’s hit cooking competition show, Culinary Class Wars, where he introduced his thoughtful, refined cooking to a global audience, and was ultimately crowned the runner-up.

Cécile Chastanet serves as General Manager and oversees the wine program. Trained in France and New York, Chastanet has held roles at Hôtel du Palais in Biarritz, Alain Ducasse’s Benoit, Le Yaca in Virginia Beach, and with the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, including Bouchon Miami and, most recently, Per Se. Her approach to hospitality is deeply guest-focused, tailoring pairings to guests rather than courses, and cultivating an atmosphere that feels both intentional and welcoming. 

THE MENU

At Oyatte, Chef Lee presents an eight-course tasting menu structured as both a culinary and physical progression through the restaurant, and featuring preservation techniques within nearly every course.

The experience begins in Oyatte’s ground-floor atelier with a series of vegetable-forward seasonal canapes. At opening, first bites include a Charred Root Vegetable Consommé, infused with walnut oil and featuring a broth of celeriac, parsnip, daikon, carrot, celery, and Spanish onion, poured tableside; Caraway Shortbread Cookie with a braised radish tarte tatin, topped with almond praline, lightly caramelized onions, and cured pork; a savory Sweet Rice Donut filled with fermented carrot tartare and saffron raisin mostarda, atop caramelized carrot foam; House-Cured Charcuterie featuring pickled magnolia buds wrapped in smoked duck breast, alongside house cured ‘nduja and fried Angelica shoots; and a Radish Salad with sliced radishes, preserved Meyer lemon, rhubarb, and poached green strawberries, paired with crab meat and served over crème fraîche made from rice wine lees. A supplemental course of Smoked Eel mousse with squid, Kaviari Kristal caviar, and cucumber prepared four ways is available as an add-on.

For the second half of the meal, guests are led upstairs, where the menu shifts into seafood and meat dishes, with a focus on whole-ingredient sustainability. Spring highlights include a Charred Scallop marinated in sweet mirin and steamed fishcake wrapped in savoy cabbage, all served over a sauce of dried scallops and smoked ham hock; followed by a choice between Poached Halibut from Nova Scotia with Bangs Island mussels, smoked Yukon potato, and roasted onions in a sauce made of vermouth, roasted fish bones, and roasted potato skin; or Brown Rice Porridge made with two kinds of brown rice cooked down in an herb sauce, with black garlic gastrique, and topped with shaved, soy-preserved black truffle – loosely inspired by the iconic dish created by Chef Lee that awed the judges on Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars. The evening’s final savory course offers diners a choice between Roasted Lamb Saddle and Tenderloin wrapped in house-cured lamb bacon from Elysian Fields Farm with fermented turnip top gremolata and lamb jus; or Smoked Quail, sourced from Wolfe Ranch in Sonoma, California, served with braised einkorn with lovage, butternut squash, white asparagus, and a fermented barley butter hollandaise. Both dishes are accompanied with house-made Milk Bread with butter from Vermont’s Animal Farm Creamery.

Dessert courses emphasize fruit-forward seasonal flavors. Offerings include Preserved Cara Cara Orange with vanilla and star anise, and featuring marshmallow ice cream and black ginger chantilly cream; Mugwort Flan with blackberry chutney jam and puff pastry, finished with a honey crème anglaise; and a closing selection of Mignardises including a burdock root choux, raspberry and lychee pâte de fruit, pink peppercorn pistachio financier, pine nut and apricot nougat, pandan guimauve, and black matcha shortbread. 

On the beverage side, Cécile Chastanet has curated a globally minded wine list with an emphasis on European producers, alongside select U.S. winemakers. Each selection is designed to expertly complement Chef Lee’s contemporary culinary vision. The list also includes a focused Champagne grower selection, and a craft wine pairing is also available. In addition to its bottle selection, Oyatte also offers a dynamic list of wines by-the-glass that provide both depth and accessibility.

THE DESIGN

Oyatte is envisioned as a two-level dining experience that reflects both the progression of its menu and its connection to Crown Daisy Farm. The first floor evokes an upstate New York cottage farmhouse, interpreted through a modern yet rustic sensibility. The space blends salvaged materials – including paneling and staircase bannisters made from wood sourced from the farm – and natural finishes, with a palette of rich, classic tones paired with mid-century lounge seating that welcomes guests into Chef Lee’s farm-centered vision from the moment they arrive. Upstairs, where guests are led for the second half of the tasting menu, the restaurant transitions into two refined, intimate dining rooms. Aesthetically influenced by Chef Lee’s time spent working in Europe, the second floor features a lighter, more restrained palette, with herringbone flooring and mid-century modern furniture from Portugal. 

Bespoke artwork is integrated throughout the space, including a commissioned 13-foot long cascading installation crafted from clear quartz by renowned Korean artist Bahk Seon Ghi. The piece extends across an opening created between the two floors, allowing the piece to be seen from both levels, reinforcing a sense of quiet intention and artfulness within the dining experience. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Oyatte is open Tuesday–Sunday, with the first seating at 5:30 PM and the final seating at 9:00 PM each night. Reservations are available via SevenRooms. For more information, visit oyattenyc.com and follow @oyattenyc.