The Luxury Dining Series brought together world-class chefs and mixologists in JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa for an immersive celebration of Korean culinary heritage. The F&B experts reinterpreted native ingredients, traditional techniques, and the haenyeo legacy through unforgettable gastronomic experiences.
Text by: Amy Van | Photography: JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa
Jeju Island is the very picture of a dream. Its cinematic landscape has long been a backdrop for numerous K-dramas, thanks to its dramatic rock formations, volcanic craters and sweeping coastlines. Famed for its tangerines, black pork, abalone porridge, and seaweed soup speckled with sea urchin, the island, the largest in South Korea, is undeniably a top destination for food lovers.
Arriving at JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa feels like stepping into another world. In summer, blue skies meet the horizon of the sea. Walking trails flanked by greenery and tangerine-coloured cosmo blossoms beckon you to go for long strolls. This sanctuary is about an hour’s drive from Jeju International Airport, but far removed from the rush of city life.
The resort’s modern architecture is softened by lush gardens blooming with all manner of edible flowers and herbs. Inside, Bill Bensley’s (surprisingly) understated and calming interiors immediately put you at ease. The overall design offers an elegant counterpoint to the area’s rugged coastline.
Luxury Group Marriott International: Luxury Dining Series 2025
Naturally, food is at the heart of the resort’s appeal. This summer, it hosted the Luxury Dining Series by Marriott International from 17 to 20 July. Themed Forgotten Flavors, the series invited guests to rediscover local culinary heritage through immersive dining experiences across three venues and five distinct programmes. The successful event was fully booked.
Chefs and mixologists from JW Marriott and The Ritz-Carlton properties around the world came together to reinterpret Korean ingredients and traditions through a contemporary lens. The teams expertly used the island’s native produce as well as time-honoured cooking methods.
The spotlight also shone on the rich legacy of the haenyeo – Jeju’s legendary female divers – translating their legacy into a refined culinary narrative. The menus were carefully paired with exceptional wines and spirits to boot.
The Flying Hog: Six-Hands, One Feast
The Luxury Dining Series kicked off with a spectacular Six-Hands Dinner at The Flying Hog, the resort’s wood-fire grill. Chefs Paul Smart from JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa, Ryan Byrne from The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne, and resident chef Woocheol Kim joined forces to present a stellar eight-course menu.
The creations inspired by nostalgia and forgotten recipes showcased both ingredients from Jeju and Australia. Story cards accompanied each course, weaving the chefs’ personal reflections into the experience. The feast was heightened further with a pairing of six Louis Roederer champagnes, including the exquisite Cristal. The evening’s reception began with a symbolic haenyeo dance performance, while guests sipped refreshing cocktails made with JW Garden herbs, Jeju lemons, and Louis Roederer champagne.
Among the highlights were handmade buckwheat noodles from Gasi-ri (a village known for yellow canola flowers). The dish laced with nutty perilla oil, sea urchin, and wild greens was prepared by Chef Woocheol. Chef Paul impressed with his chilled lobster and cognac-laced lobster bisque partnered with Jeju-grown kohlrabi and gleaming caviar.
He also fired up hanwoo striploin in the open kitchen, and served the tender beef with carrot purée, crispy potatoes and Jeju tangerine sauce. Chef Ryan’s grilled Jeju black pork with Tasmanian pepper berries, accompanied with peach and red wine reduction sealed the menu with finesse. This one-of-a-kind experience stretched into the night with post-dinner cocktails by Yosuke Asano, head bartender of The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto, and JW Marriott Jeju’s Wonjun Kim.
Beyond this series, the resort continues to champion Jeju’s cultural and culinary heritage, such as collaborating closely with Jeju’s haenyeo and various fishing communities. This autumn, guests can look forward to an activity featuring the head of the Seogwipo dance troupe, who will teach the traditional haenyeo dance. This programme, which aims to introduce Jeju’s haenyeo culture, is offered complimentary to all staying guests.
Yeoumul: Brunch and Kaiseki
Two other standout experiences were presented at Yeoumul, the resort’s hyperlocal dining venue. The first was Sea Rituals: Haenyeo-Inspired Brunch. We were invited to join a couple of haenyeo divers (from the fisheries cooperative in Youngrak village) on a guided walk along Jeju Olle Trail Route 7. This footpath that wraps around the coast is where haenyeos themselves often traverse.
The session was led by Jung-yoon Choi (who studied in the US prior to returning to South Korea) and her diving partner, American haenyeo Kylie Genter, who’s married to a Korean. Our morning walk offered insight into the haenyeos’ livelihood, lifestyle and community. We also learned about the environmental challenges the divers face, such as declining abalone stocks due to overfishing as well as climate change and warmer waters.
These days the haenyeos, many of whom are in their 70s and 80s, attempt to catch other types of seafood like conch, octopus and sea urchin to sell – although the latter is dwindling too. After years of hardship, many of the ladies have decided to hang up their boots (or in this case, buoys and baskets). Meanwhile younger divers like Jung-yoon and Kylie who are keen to preserve the haenyeo’s precious legacy are trained by haenyeo schools in Jeju.
The engaging stroll built the perfect appetite for brunch. Back at Yeoumul, we were served individual charong (traditional bamboo lunchbox) – prepared by Chef Daejin Lee (Chef Jin). The haenyeos share that large charong baskets are used to carry their catch, tools and food. Essentially, it’s a symbol of their work and connection to sea.
The well-thought-out meal reflected the haenyeo spirit through seasonal Jeju delicacies. Our miniature baskets were brimming with sea urchin, rice balls, black pork skewers, bingtteok (buckwheat crepes with filling), pickled bracken (fern), and more. Jung-yoon shared with us that a typical haenyeo meal is very simple as the divers would either sell the best ingredients, or save them for their children.
In the evening, Chef Jin collaborated with Chef Hirotaka Nakashima from The Ritz-Carlton Fukuoka for Kaiseki on Yeoumul’s Table. Together, they crafted alternating courses that highlighted the bounty of Jeju’s summer — from pristine seafood to seasonal delicacies. Drawing on the precision of kaiseki techniques, the chefs ensured that every ingredient’s natural flavour took centre stage.
Their well-thought-out creations were elegantly woven with poetic descriptions too. Among the highlights were Jeju tilefish married with summer pine mushrooms (matsutake) and shitake. And smoked stripejack, a delicate summer fish, wrapped with Korean perilla leaves (dehydrated until lightly crisp), and livened up with a touch of black garlic sauce.
Chef Hirotaka showcased Jeju’s famed abalone, gently steamed for six hours until succulent, then served with a richly flavoured liver sauce and watercress. For the final savoury course, Chef Jin presented slurp-worthy, slightly springy Jeju mugwort noodle with a stock made from local pheasant meat, and partnered with bonito flakes, Jeju watercress, radish and seaweed.
Each course was thoughtfully paired with premium Korean liquors and cocktails. Among the standouts was Omegi clear rice wine (made from omegi tteok, a traditional Jeju rice cake using glutinous millet). Aged over time to develop a delicate balance of soft acidity and subtle sweetness, this liquor is crafted by Master Artisan Kim Hee-sook, a recognised bearer of Korea’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Another highlight was a Heobeok Limoncello-Inspired cocktail, a reinterpretation of Heobeokju — a traditional Jeju distilled liquor made using basalt-filtered water and aged in oak. Infused with Jeju lemon peels and fresh dill, it offered bright citrus and refined herbal notes, while retaining the mellow depth of the original. The traditional Korean liquor pairing is also regularly offered at Yeoumul. The dinner pairing menu varies slightly with Jeju’s seasons.
The Lounge: High tea & cocktails
Over at The Lounge, guests got to enjoy a beautifully crafted high tea in the afternoon. Pastry Chef Jeongeun Wang collaborated with Shigeru Nojima of JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo (the hotel is slated to open in late 2025) for Midsummer High Tea: A Ritual of Refinement.
Seven summery desserts highlighting Jeju apple mango, Chodang corn and lemon, were paired with Japanese-inspired savoury dishes. The beautifully crafted bites were served with three signature beverages: Jeju lemon matcha soda, citrus; green tea cold brew; and peach herbal tea.
In the evenings, guests got to experience a Local Liquor Master Class: Master Kim’s Secret Recipe featuring guest bartender Yosuke Asano from The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto who presented three signature cocktails using Jeju ingredients: gosorisul, hallabong, and wild herbs.
Beyond the Table
The Luxury Dining Series also invited us to explore Jeju’s culinary bounty firsthand. We visited the traditional 5-Day Market in Seogwipo filled with stalls peddling all manner of fresh ingredients including multi-coloured corn, massive watermelons, radish, tangerines and more. This was followed by a convivial pizza-making class with the chefs led by Executive Chef Hyungsoo Ha. In every sense, the series at JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa went beyond fine dining — it became a memorable feast of place, heritage, and community.
What’s Next
The upcoming 2025 Luxury Dining Series will be held on 29-31 August at The St. Regis Singapore, followed by Indonesia at The St. Regis Jakarta (11-13 September) and Thailand at the new The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok (25-28 September).
Other hotels that took part in the last two months included The St. Regis Osaka, JW Marriott Bengaluru Prestige Golfshire Resort & Spa and The Ritz-Carlton, Perth. Each property offered curated culinary experiences by Marriott International’s talented culinary and mixology professionals from across the world.
For more information on the rest of the cities’ programmes, visit: https://www.marriott.com/en-us/marriott-brands/portfolio/luxury-dining-series.mi
