Gia x SOIGNÉ Seoul: A Michelin Collaboration Dinner Exploring Sky and Earth

A Two-Night Collaboration Dinner at Gia | March 4–5, 2025

On March 4th and 5th, 2025, Gia welcomes SOIGNÉ Seoul, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant led by Chef Jun Lee, for an intimate collaboration dinner in Hanoi.

This marks a reunion more than a year in the making — one that brings together two kitchens, two cultures, and one shared philosophy rooted deeply in East Asian thought: “Trời tròn, Đất vuông" translates to “The sky is round, the earth is square” and in Korean means 조화 자연.

“The Sky is Round, the Earth is Square”, A Shared Eastern Philosophy

In East Asian philosophy, Trời tròn, Đất vuông (The sky is round, the earth is square) is more than a cosmological idea. It represents balance, nurture, harmony, and the interconnected relationship between all living things. In Korean, the concept resonates closely with 조화 자연 — harmony with nature.

The Sky is round, with no beginning and no end, embracing all in perfect completeness. Roundness embodies an absolute harmony. The Earth is square, steadfast and enduring, the source of all life, nurturing everything with its warmth. We are born from the earth, nurtured by the sky, growing within the delicate balance of these two forces.

The Vietnamese bánh chưng and bánh dày symbolize this ancient philosophy. But it extends beyond that. Trời Tròn, Đất Vuông - 조화 자연 lingers in the principles of nature, in ways of living, and in how a culture seeks harmony.

Chef Sam explores the story of the earth. Chef Jun Lee contemplates the sky, not just in its fullness but in its deepest state of harmony. A fascinating dialogue between two cultures, layered with meaning. When Sky and Earth are no longer abstract concepts but become a meal, a wholly new experience.

For this collaboration, Gia and SOIGNÉ revisit this familiar philosophy not as a symbol, but as a living framework, one that guides how ingredients are chosen, how techniques are applied, and how stories are told through food.

Two Chefs, One Dialogue

At the heart of this collaboration are two chefs who share mutual respect, curiosity, and a deep commitment to cultural storytelling through cuisine.

Chef Sam Tran, From Gia Hanoi (1 Michelin Star)

As Head Chef and Co-Founder of Gia, Chef Sam Tran has spent years developing a contemporary expression of Vietnamese cuisine, one rooted in memory, seasonality, and quiet precision. Under his leadership, Gia has become one of the first restaurants grounded in Vietnamese cuisine to receive a Michelin Star.

Chef Jun Lee, From SOIGNÉ Seoul (2 Michelin Stars)

Born in Seoul and trained internationally at institutions such as The Culinary Institute of America, Chef Jun Lee honed his craft at renowned restaurants including Per Se. In 2013, he founded SOIGNÉ, now one of Korea’s most respected fine dining restaurants and holder of two Michelin stars.

Chef Jun believes food is a vessel for memory — something that both evokes and creates emotional connections.

Together, the two chefs approach this collaboration not as a fusion, but as a conversation.

About SOIGNÉ, Contemporary Cuisine of Seoul

SOIGNÉ’s philosophy, “Contemporary Cuisine of Seoul,” goes beyond ingredients or techniques. Instead, it reflects a holistic understanding of Korean culture — one shaped by storytelling, heritage, and lived experience.

Chef Jun Lee structures his cuisine around nine defining characteristics of Korean food, organized into three core themes:

• Heritage

• Ingredients

• Inspirations

Each dish carries narrative depth, shaped by years of reflection on what Korean cuisine means today — and how it continues to evolve.

The name “soigné”, derived from French, means well-groomed, thoughtfully cared for. It reflects the restaurant’s commitment to refinement, intention, and balance — values that resonate strongly with Gia’s own philosophy.

One Table, Two Perspectives

Over two nights at Gia, guests will experience a tasting menu where:

• Vietnamese and Korean culinary philosophies meet

• Techniques intersect without overshadowing identity

• Differences are not resolved, but allowed to coexist

  
  

This is not about contrast, nor competition, but about alignment. Two approaches unfold within a single dinner, guided by shared respect for culture, nature, and time. The tasting menu brings together Korean and Vietnamese sensibilities through carefully balanced dishes, such as:

• SSAM: grilled pork, perilla, Vietnamese herbs, fermented anchovy, starfruit from Gia, paired with SOIGNÉ’s ssamjang

  
  

  

• Wagyu striploin steak served with cucumber kimchi and marinated cockles from SOIGNÉ, complemented by Gia’s spiced pineapple and kumquat sauce

  
  

  

Each dish reflects restraint and intention, allowing flavors to converse rather than compete.

Beyond The Dinner, When Cultures Continue To Listen To One Another

What emerged from Gia x SOIGNÉ Seoul was not simply a successful collaboration dinner, but a rare moment of cultural clarity. Across two nights, the table at Gia became a space where Vietnamese and Korean culinary philosophies were allowed to coexist without urgency to resolve differences.

Rather than blending techniques or aesthetics into a single hybrid language, both kitchens chose to hold their ground, and in doing so, discovered alignment not in similarity, but in intention. Vietnamese cuisine’s attentiveness to balance, seasonality, and memory found resonance in Korean cuisine’s depth, fermentation, and philosophical structure. The dialogue unfolded quietly, dish by dish, gesture by gesture.

In this exchange, Trời tròn, Đất vuông — 조화 자연, revealed itself not as a metaphor, but as a working principle. The sky and the earth do not mirror each other; they exist in different states, yet sustain the same life. So too did the collaboration allow each culture to remain intact, while contributing to a shared experience greater than the sum of its parts.

At Gia, this collaboration marked more than a reunion. It reinforced Hanoi’s growing role as a place where meaningful culinary dialogues can take shape, thoughtfully, respectfully, and with lasting resonance.

About Gia

Nestled in the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Gia is a contemporary fine dining restaurant proudly listed in the MICHELIN Guide Vietnam. Led by Chef Sam Tran, Gia tells Vietnam’s culinary story through seasonal tasting menus that bridge tradition and innovation. Each dish reflects the restaurant’s philosophy to honor Vietnamese ingredients, elevate local craftsmanship, and create a dining experience that feels both personal and timeless.

Recognized among Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants (Top 51–100) and The Best Chef Awards, Gia continues to celebrate Vietnam’s rich gastronomic heritage with modern artistry and quiet confidence.

→ Discover more about Gia: gia-hanoi.com/home