About SURA
Our
Story
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Get to Know Us
SURA is a private Korean Cooking & Dining Studio in Seoul,
where guests create and taste a Korean table together.
Inspired by the philosophy of the royal Korean table, Surasang 수라상
SURA reinterprets the structure of traditional Korean cuisine
into a modern, hands-on chef’s table experience.
Here, cooking is not only about recipes.
It is about understanding how ingredients, seasons, techniques,
presentation, and table setting come together
to form one complete Korean meal.
What a “Korean Table” Really Means
In Korea, a meal is not built around a single dish.
It is built as a table.
Rice sits at the center.
Soup completes the meal.
Side dishes create balance and rhythm.
Each dish has its place,
and together they form what Koreans call a table — Bapsang 밥상.
A Korean table reflects how people eat, share, and care for one another.
It is not just about food,
but about connection, balance, and everyday life.
This is the structure SURA invites guests to experience.
The Meaning of SURA 수라
In the Joseon Dynasty, Sura 수라 referred to the royal table prepared for the king.
It represented the most refined form of Korean cuisine —
not defined by luxury, but by care.
Seasonal ingredients gathered from across the land,
thoughtful preparation, balance in color and flavor,
and a table carefully arranged as one harmonious whole.
At SURA, we draw inspiration from this philosophy.
Not to recreate royal food,
but to honor the spirit behind it —
a table made with intention, respect, and meaning.
Why SURA Exists
As Korean cuisine continues to gain global attention,
many people recognize the names of dishes —
but few understand the structure and philosophy behind the table.
SURA exists to share Korean food in its most honest form.
Not rushed.
Not commercialized.
Through hands-on cooking, thoughtful table setting, and tasting together,
guests experience not only how Korean food tastes,
but why it is prepared and shared this way.
Founder’s Story
SURA was founded by Elly Shin,
a chef trained in Australia and a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu.
While educated in classical Western culinary techniques,
Elly felt drawn back to her roots.
After years of teaching Korean cuisine to international guests in Seoul,
she realized that Korean food could not be fully understood through recipes alone.
SURA was created as a way to experience Seoul through cooking —
to learn the structure of Korean cuisine,
the meaning of seasonal ingredients,
the stories behind each dish,
and the cultural importance of the table itself.
Elly is not only a chef,
but a host, storyteller, and guide —
inviting guests to complete one Korean table together.