Nuri Steakhouse Taps Kyungwon Kim as Executive Chef

This story was originally published on FSR. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily FS Insider.

Kim has introduced a range of new menu items at Nuri, marking the first additions under his culinary leadership.

Nuri Steakhouse, the Korean-forward steakhouse in Uptown Dallas, has named Kyungwon Kim Executive Chef, marking a new culinary chapter for the restaurant. The Korean-born chef joins Nuri following three years at Daniel Boulud’s acclaimed Daniel in New York, where he quickly advanced through the kitchen ranks, progressing from the line to executive sous chef. Previously, he served as sous chef at Michelin-starred Korean restaurant Oiji Mi, building on years of experience in New York’s Korean dining scene. His appointment is accompanied by the debut of a new menu that offers the first look at his culinary direction for Nuri.

That progression is central to Kim’s approach at Nuri. His vision is rooted in the Korean flavors and ingredients that are personal to him, bringing them together with Texas ingredients to create a menu that reflects both his background and his own culinary perspective. “I want guests to experience Korean food through my perspective,” said Kim. “I use flavors that are personal to me, and I want to work more with local Texas farms and ingredients. The menu shows where I come from and what I want Nuri to become.”

At Nuri, Kim leads the culinary team, placing Korean flavor and dining culture at the center of the steakhouse experience. His background in Korean and French fine-dining kitchens shapes how he cooks today, bringing Korean flavors together with Texas ingredients and premium beef.

For Kim, that point of view is also personal. His connection to Korean cuisine began with the food he grew up eating with his grandparents, particularly homemade kimchi, and the simplicity and care that went into preparing it. Those early experiences continue to influence how he thinks about food today: less about strict recreations and more about preserving the flavors, memories and sense of generosity that gave those dishes meaning.

“In Korean culture, sharing food is how we connect,” said Kim. “I want guests to feel that at Nuri and have an approachable way to experience Korean food, even if the flavors are new to them.”

Nuri owner Wan Kim said the appointment reflects the restaurant’s continued evolution and its original vision of bringing cultures together around the steakhouse format.

“Nuri was created to bring people and cultures together around the table,” said owner Wan Kim. “This next chapter gives that vision a clearer Korean point of view. Chef Kim understands the depth of Korean flavor, the generosity of Korean hospitality and the standards of a world-class dining experience.”

Meaning “whole world” in Korean, Nuri brings Korean flavor and dining culture into the setting of a contemporary American steakhouse. With Kim at the helm, the restaurant will build on that foundation through a menu that reflects his distinct perspective, drawing on a range of ingredients, flavors and techniques.

Kim has introduced a range of new menu items at Nuri, marking the first additions under his culinary leadership. The new dishes reflect his approach to the modern steakhouse, with interpretations of classic favorites and Korean-influenced sauces and preparations. Highlights include Hamachi & Chamoe Crudo, featuring Korean chamoe melon stuffed with snow crab and cucumber, served alongside hamachi with a Korean pear, gooseberry and kombu-cucumber vinaigrette; Korean Ceviche, inspired by the traditional Korean mulhoe, a chilled raw-fish preparation is presented more like a ceviche with fluke, chili vinaigrette, sesame leaf and stone fruit. The Caviar Service is Nuri’s interpretation of classic caviar service – replacing traditional blinis with gamja-jeon, Korean potato pancakes, and adds tamagoyaki, finger lime and citrus zest. Bibimyeon delivers a bright, refreshing take on Korean cold noodles with seasonal vegetables, soy, tahini, chili oil and scallion oil, while the Steak Service pairs Nuri’s Texas Akaushi steaks with house-made steak sauce, ssamjang and seasoned salt, drawing inspiration from Korean barbecue. Rounding out the additions, the Cowboy Crab Cake reimagines a classic through a Texas lens, featuring a jumbo lump crab cake finished with avocado and served alongside roasted Texas sweet peppers stuffed with crab. Charred scallion, bright Rio Grande Valley citrus and a house-made romesco with regional peppers bring layers of smoke and richness.

Together, the new dishes mark the beginning of a more distinctly Korean era at Nuri. By balancing the Korean flavors that have shaped him personally and the ingredients and traditions of Texas, Kim is creating a menu that feels both deeply personal and distinctly Nuri.

The post Nuri Steakhouse Taps Kyungwon Kim as Executive Chef appeared first on FSR magazine.