Join Jon Lee for an intimate evening celebrating contemporary Korean cuisine through a thoughtfully curated multi-course menu, set against live music from local musician Dale Ross. Jon's approach blends flavours and ingredients that stay true to Korean cooking — some very traditional — with techniques and ideas borrowed from other cuisines. This isn't fusion for its own sake: everything on the table is unmistakably Korean, filtered through Jon's own internationally-informed cooking style. Served family-style around a shared table, this is an evening of bold flavours, live music, conversation, and connection, Modern Seoul is an invitation to slow down, share a meal, and experience the warmth of Korean hospitality.
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Lotus Bite
Crispy lotus root layered with a soy-marinated quail egg and cucumber kimchi. Jon thinks of this course almost as a stack of banchan in a single bite. Banchan are often described simply as Korean "side dishes," but that undersells their role at the table, where they're meant to interact with the meal, lending acidity, fermentation, texture, heat and balance to each bite. Here, that idea is compressed into one composed dish: crisp lotus root, savoury soy-marinated egg and bright, fermented cucumber kimchi, each distinct but built to balance one another.
Doenjang Orzo
Creamy orzo built around doenjang, Korean fermented soybean paste, with crispy pork belly and shimeji mushrooms, finished with Parmigiano Reggiano. Probably the clearest Korean-Italian crossover on the menu — doenjang brings a deep fermented savouriness that works surprisingly naturally in the same role aged cheese or miso might play in a risotto. Rich, creamy and very umami-forward.
Naengguk
A chilled Korean cucumber soup with radish, nori and green onion. This one stays much closer to its Korean roots — light, cold, tangy and refreshing, serving as a palate cleanser between the richer courses.
Yeoneojang
Soy-marinated salmon sashimi served over rice with a rich egg yolk. Drawn from the Korean tradition of jang-marinated seafood, where seafood is cured in a seasoned soy-based mixture — the salmon takes on a sweet-savoury depth while staying silky and delicate, with the egg yolk adding richness once everything is mixed into the rice.
Injeolmi
Jon's take on the traditional Korean rice cake, normally coated in roasted soybean powder. That nutty, roasted flavour stays front and centre, but paired here with pistachio and milk chocolate to turn it into an playful, modern dessert.
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Jon Lee is the personal chef and owner of Aromas by Chef Jon. His culinary journey was shaped in two kitchens: professionally, where he trained in Italian and European restaurants, and at home, where he immersed himself in the traditions and techniques of Korean cooking. These parallel experiences have shaped a style that respects classical technique while celebrating the vibrant flavours of his Korean heritage. Whether hosting a communal supper club or cooking in clients' homes, Jon believes food is at its best when it creates connection and conversation. @aromasbychefjon | aromasbychefjon.ca
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Drawing on the colourful lyricism of Paul Simon, the earnest rock n’ roll of Tom Petty, and the modern whimsy of Ben Howard, Dale Ross is influenced by sound and style from across the decades. Born on the west coast of British Columbia, and living in 4 provinces from west to east, he has woven his way across the country and back more than a few times now, crafting songs that tell of travel, of real places and times and people. @dalerayross | dalerayross.com
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Every week, The Depanneur invites Toronto's best culinary talents to lead fun, hands-on workshops and supper clubs. @thedepanneur
