Louis Vuitton opens restaurant in Seoul

Le Cafe Louis Vuitton [JOONGANG ILBO]

 
Louis Vuitton will open its first permanent restaurant in Korea in September at its Cheongdam-dong flagship store, expanding its global footprint in high-end dining.
 
The luxury brand began taking reservations for the new restaurant, Le Café Louis Vuitton, on Monday ahead of its opening on Sept. 1. 
 
 
Within hours, traffic surged on the booking site, with all morning slots during the first week of September fully booked. Weekend reservations for the second week are also sold out, requiring users to sign up for cancellation alerts.
 
Seoul will become the sixth city to host a Louis Vuitton cafe, following Paris, New York, Tokyo, Milan, and Bangkok. The expansion is part of the brand’s global gourmet initiative, the Louis Vuitton Culinary Community, which aims to infuse the label’s identity into a “high-end snacking” concept.
 
In Seoul, chef Yoon Tae-gyun leads the restaurant’s culinary direction in collaboration with Arnaud Donckele, a Michelin three-star chef, and renowned pastry chef Maxime Frédéric. The menu combines classic French cuisine with Korean elements.
 
Signature dishes include the yuzu Caesar salad for 40,000 won ($29), beef dumplings for 48,000 won and the Pear Charlotte cake for 29,000 won. Images released by the company show Louis Vuitton’s signature monogram imprinted on the dumpling wrapper.
 
The café’s interior features books selected by Yoon and a book curator, alongside publications from Louis Vuitton Éditions, adding a cultural touch to the space. The building’s exterior draws inspiration from traditional Korean architecture and dance and was designed by architects Frank Gehry and Peter Marino.
 
“It is deeply meaningful to be directing Louis Vuitton’s first permanent culinary space in Korea as a member of the Louis Vuitton Culinary Community,” Yoon said. “I hope guests will enjoy the unique flavors of Korea and France, paired with the distinctive sensibility of Louis Vuitton, in a relaxed setting at Le Café Louis Vuitton.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY BAE JAE-SUNG [[email protected]]

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