Michelin-starred event showcases California cuisine in Korea

Visit California brought the Golden State’s vibrant culinary culture to life in South Korea with an exclusive dining experience at Mosu Seoul, one of the city’s most prestigious restaurants. The event marked a rare collaboration with Chef Ahn Sung-Jae, Korea’s only Michelin three-star chef and a familiar face from Netflix Korea’s popular series Culinary Class Wars.

Held on the restaurant’s only closed night of the week, the event welcomed 35 top-tier influencers and celebrities for a multisensory culinary journey that showcased California’s diverse regions through food, wine, and immersive storytelling.

Chef Ahn designed a six-course tasting menu inspired by his travels through California, drawing on the state’s landscapes, microclimates, and culinary innovation. Each dish told a story: from small bites channeling the spirit of San Francisco to Hanwoo beef with truffle paying tribute to the richness of Napa Valley and Sonoma County. Wines from top California vineyards accompanied each course.

The setting was designed to transport guests to the Golden State, with California-themed visuals and design elements complementing Chef Ahn’s narrative approach to the evening. Guests described the experience as “immersive,” “emotionally resonant,” and “completely unexpected.”

Influencers captured and shared the event in real time, resulting in 266 organic posts and stories, more than 25 million impressions, and an estimated ad value of $577,000.

More than a dinner, the evening felt like a live performance. It was intimate, evocative, and thoughtfully curated. By blending fine dining with emotional storytelling, the experience set a new bar for cultural immersion and destination marketing.