Chef
Sun Kim
Chef-Owner, Meta
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- Singapore, Singapore
- Venue
- Meta · Restaurant
Known for
- Contemporary Korean cuisine at Meta
- Michelin two-star restaurant in Singapore
- #17 Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023
- American Express One To Watch Award 2021
i. Biography
At Meta in Singapore, Contemporary Korean cooking is built from a Korean base and worked through Japanese technique, Western schooling, and seasonal produce. In Sun Kim’s hands, that structure shows in dishes such as Jeju abalone with kamtae and lily bulb; hamaguri clam under a scallop sheet; and fennel cream sharpened with preserved yuzu chilli, fennel confit, Japanese micro-chives, and lemon zest. The register is controlled rather than forceful: Korean flavour supplies the centre, technique sets the edges, and produce determines the pace.
Formation
Classical training supplied the first frame for the cooking, with Sun Kim studying at Le Cordon Bleu before working in Italian restaurants in Seoul, South Korea. That sequence put French schooling beside Italian restaurant discipline in Korea, adding structure, pacing, and translation across traditions before the later Meta style took shape. Precision and restraint became more explicit in Sydney, Australia, where Sun worked as junior sous chef at Tetsuya’s until 2010. From 2010, the Singapore chapter continued as junior sous chef at Waku Ghin, extending a practice already moving across countries and cuisines. The accumulated training now sits inside Meta, where Sun is chef-owner.
The Current Work
Evolution and metamorphosis are built into Meta’s name, and the restaurant uses that idea as a working method rather than a slogan. Korean cuisine remains the root, with tradition reinterpreted in a contemporary and personal way. The cooking does not hold memory in place for nostalgia, but it also does not cut it loose from origin. The kitchen brings Korean heritage together with Japanese culinary techniques, Western culinary training, and seasonal produce. Its dishes have been described as elegant and creative while retaining classic and familiar elements. In practical terms, that means new forms around known references: richness checked by acidity, delicacy supported by depth, and contemporary plating that does not turn the food abstract. Seasonality and innovation are attached to Jeju abalone with kamtae and lily bulb, a signature dish associated with Sun Kim’s approach. The plate keeps the abalone central while using seaweed and lily bulb for texture and aromatic range. Another dish, hamaguri clam blanketed by a scallop sheet, uses spiced fennel cream made with preserved yuzu chilli and fennel confit, finished with Japanese micro-chives and lemon zest. At The High Table collaboration at HighHouse in Singapore, his Steak Bibimbap was described as steak-topped bibimbap and a meticulous expression of his craft, taking a familiar Korean reference into a more precise restaurant format. Contemporary Korean cuisine at Meta is not treated as a closed category. Korean flavours form the base; French-inspired techniques and Modern Asian fusion provide the architecture. That structure lets the food move across references while keeping the centre legible. Asked what keeps him moving in the kitchen, Kim has said, “First, it’s my team. I get to see my colleagues every morning. They are more than family — we spend more time together than with our own families. Second, I want to showcase my food to my customers. I want their appreciation.” The answer places the restaurant in the daily work of team, repetition, and service rather than in individual mythology.
Accolades
Sun Kim has received MICHELIN Guide Singapore — Two MICHELIN Stars for Meta (2024). Recognition for Meta includes Two MICHELIN Stars for Meta (2024), One MICHELIN Star for Meta, and American Express One To Watch Award for Meta (2021).
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Sun
What role does Sun Kim hold?
Sun Kim is chef-owner.
Where did Sun Kim train or study?
Sun Kim trained at Le Cordon Bleu.
What recognition has Sun Kim received?
Two MICHELIN Stars for Meta (2024).
