Some guest chef appearances last only a few nights. Others leave a lasting impression. Following the success of his inaugural collaboration with ATAS at The RuMa Hotel and Residences in 2025, MICHELIN-starred Chef Louis Han returns to Kuala Lumpur for a four-month residency—his longest collaboration in the city to date.
The residency also marks the first extended Kuala Lumpur showcase for GU:UM, Han’s contemporary Korean steakhouse in Singapore. Running as part of ATAS Key Tables, The RuMa’s signature culinary series, the collaboration reflects the hotel’s ambition to create meaningful exchanges between internationally acclaimed chefs and Malaysia’s dining scene rather than one-off guest appearances.
Fire, Flavour And Korean Heritage
Born and raised in Seoul, Han has built his reputation on presenting Korean cuisine through a contemporary lens while remaining deeply rooted in tradition. After honing his craft at acclaimed restaurants including Singapore’s two-MICHELIN-starred Meta and Seoul’s three-MICHELIN-starred MOSU, he opened NAE:UM, earning a MICHELIN Star within its first year and the MICHELIN Guide Young Chef Award in 2022.
His second concept, GU:UM—named after the Korean word meaning “to grill” or “cook over fire”—offers a more relaxed yet equally thoughtful expression of Korean dining. At its heart is the belief that cooking over flame creates not only flavour but also moments of connection around the table.
That philosophy shapes the residency menu at ATAS. Guests can expect inventive interpretations of Korean favourites, including Yukhwae Jeon, Mulhwae and Korean Fried Cauliflower, before moving to charcoal-grilled signatures such as Hanwoo Lower Loin, Woodae Galbi Short Rib and a Surf & Turf Platter.
The experience concludes with dishes inspired by the comforts of home, from Uncle Lulu’s Fried Rice and Cold Japchae to Doenjang Jjigae, before desserts including Hotteok, Mandarin Bingsu and Koguma Mousse provide a lighter finish.
Beyond A Guest Chef Appearance
The residency forms part of ATAS Key Tables, a culinary platform inspired by the shared pursuit of excellence recognised by the MICHELIN Guide and the MICHELIN Key distinction. Rather than presenting fleeting dining events, the series invites acclaimed chefs to immerse themselves in Kuala Lumpur’s dining landscape through longer collaborations that encourage cultural exchange and culinary dialogue.
More than a showcase of signature dishes, the residency reflects a growing appetite for longer-form culinary collaborations that allow chefs and diners to build a deeper connection. For Kuala Lumpur’s dining scene, it offers a rare opportunity to experience one of contemporary Korean cuisine’s most compelling voices over the course of an entire season.
