Virtually anyone would stop to eat at a Ferrari, Bentley, Aston Martin, and even BMW or Mercedes-Benz restaurant because such brands inspire confidence. You know you'll be treated to an amazing culinary experience because (most of) the cars these automakers sell are fantastic. But Hyundai?
Well, the South Korean marque evolved tremendously in the last couple of years. Just take a look at its current lineup. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is an amazing high-performance all-electric crossover utility vehicle, while the internal combustion engine-powered Sonata is reasonably priced and looks like a winner. The redesigned Santa Fe could also be the ideal image of the term "glow up" you would find in a pictorial dictionary.
While it's true that the "Kia Boyz" TikTok trend, which affected some Hyundai units too because the companies belong to the same auto group, caused some branding issues in the US, the automaker made great strides in its commitment to become a true competitor to established automotive entities. Simply put, Hyundai's on a roll.
So, it can afford to do even more than manufacture attractive rides. The auto company opened an Innovation Center in Singapore where it works on clean mobility solutions, new manufacturing processes, and urban living. Their most important project is the Ioniq 5 robotaxi. However, they are also involved in futuristic farming.
If you're planning a visit to the South Asian city-state, you might want to include the Innovation Center in your itinerary because Hyundai recently announced that a restaurant would open next month. San Francisco-based Three-Michelin-Star Chef Corey Lee will take care of the menu, which Hyundai says is going to be ideal for the "modern palate."
The menu will include a modern reinterpretation of hansik, the term for traditional Korean cuisine.
Hyundai wants the casual family establishment, named Na Oh, to become an attraction and says that the chef and his team will use fresh produce every day. That's possible thanks to a two-story vertical smart farm that can produce 66 lb (30 kg) of fresh vegetables and fruits every 24 hours. The automaker says the futuristic enclosed ranch is the world's first robotic smart farm that's built for a unique customer experience, besides being an example of what can be achieved with little resources and less land use.
Foodies who like to have a refined farm-to-table experience will surely be impressed by all this.
The restaurant will be a nice addition to Hyundai's Singaporean Innovation Center. Blending the latest technology with something as simple as food is a great way of showing visitors and fans of the brand that the automaker is on a path to becoming a much more important player in the industry.
However, the greatest thing is that Hyundai didn't settle. Lee will surely create an impressive menu, while the environment will only add to the fascination.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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