Food & Drink
Busan hosts first ‘Gastro Tomo’ event to strengthen its global culinary identity
Haps Magazine Korea
April 30, 2025
(Photo by Finn Partners Box Asia. Courtesy of Haps Magazine Korea.)
The city of Busan and the Busan Tourism Organization held the first-ever “Gastro Tomo: Future of Busan 2025” event on April 28 at Domoheon, bringing together chefs, food experts, and city officials to discuss the future of Busan’s culinary landscape.
The event, attended by around 60 prominent figures including Mayor Park Heong-joon, Michelin-starred chefs, food culture experts, and tourism policymakers, aimed to position Busan’s gastronomy as a major driver of regional economic growth and global branding.
“Gastro Tomo” combines the words “gastronomy” and “domo,” meaning an initiative to develop Busan’s food culture collaboratively.
The program was divided into three parts: a Michelin plaque presentation, a gastronomy conference, and a networking symposium. During the Michelin plaque presentation, Mayor Park celebrated the achievements of restaurants newly listed in the 2025 Michelin Guide Busan.
The gastronomy conference featured discussions on Busan’s culinary future, highlighting collaboration between the city, chefs, and local ingredients.
Notable speakers included Chef Kang Min-goo of the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Mingles, who shared insights on the early development of fine dining in Korea, and Chef Jaehoon Kim of Palette, who emphasized building a sustainable restaurant ecosystem in Busan. Chef Kim Ji-hye of Piotto discussed the importance of seasonal ingredients and traditional fermentation practices.
The day concluded with a networking symposium on the Domoheon lawn, where participants shared conversations over a barbecue course prepared by Chef Yoo Yong-wook.