With over 30 years of presence in our lives, many of us fondly remember greedily picking the various marinated meats off of the buffet stand in Seoul Garden. The chain has announced on August 19 regarding the removal of buffet options and its immediate transition into ala carte style dining.
According to Seoul Garden Group, the recent changes are in line with Singapore’s existing and future recovery plans from COVID-19 which has bruised many local businesses in the F&B industry. Across the span of navigating through nearly 2 years of restriction changes throughout the pandemic, the chain will finally cease its buffet service to allow for a safer dining environment as well as an effort to reduce food waste, an increasing matter of concern amongst ethical and environmental groups of socially conscious diners.
Changing with times
Seoul garden has quickly caught up onto latest food trends it seems, now even offering meat-free alternatives with new products such as this Chaeshik beef hot pot made with Impossible Meat.
Apart from in-store dining, Seoul Garden has new offerings such as these marinated-ready easy cook take-home packets of meat that come in various marinates ranging from Mala and Ginseng to Kimchi. An ode to the meats that were once spread heartily across buffet trays for pickings.
New Alacarte Menu
Appetising dishes in Seoul Garden’s revamped menu are simple classics, yet they’ve seem to already whet our appetites. From army stews, samgyetang, fusion pastas to even traditional korean porridge!
It’s no secret that Seoul Garden is pivoting its once hearty buffet style restaurants toward the increasingly health concious diners, a recent trend in the following years based on its new menu that screams “Healthy & Hearty”. For instance in this set for 2pax, we don’t see much carbohydrates with dishes primarily surrounding vegetables and premium meat cuts. The focus on grilled meats however, seems to remain despite the several announced changes.
More than a restaurant
Seoul Garden goes out of its way to assist the underprivileged in our society by offering job opportunities to people with disabilities. Following new changes in the company, comprehensive training programmes have been tailored for its staff, including its crew of People with Disabilities (PWD) to get everyone on board.
Just November last year, Seoul Garden was one of 64 organisations recognised for its efforts in promoting inclusiveness by hiring people with disabilities and raising funds for the 2020 President’s Challenge, despite hurdles posed by the pandemic. Instead of letting its intern staff with disabilities go during the sudden and temporary closure of dining outlets, the restaurant opted to retain its interns, hired through the SG Enable school-to-work transition programme. Rather, the company sent the interns for online trainings via SG Enable job coaches and have the staff return upon phase two of Singapore’s reopening.
A big restaurant chain with a big heart indeed!
