Sydney hospitality group Etymon has announced two changes to North Sydney restaurants Genzo and Soluna, which both opened last year.
Korean-born Chi Ung Kim has joined Genzo as the Japanese eatery’s new head chef after time working at Sake and Cho Cho San in Sydney as well as at overseas eateries.
The chef is a familiar face to Etymon CEO Adam Petta, who previously worked with the chef, who has experience cooking both Japanese and Korean cuisine, for more than 10 years. “I am incredibly excited to lead Genzo into this next chapter,” says Kim. “This is a special opportunity to share my passion for Japanese cuisine in a place that values quality and authenticity.”
Kim has tweaked Genzo’s menu, which now follows a more traditional route. Guests can expect sushi, sashimi, and nigiri as well grilled skewers covering Murray cod; octopus; chicken tsukune, and Wagyu.
“His passion, leadership skill and vision will take Genzo to new heights, delighting both our loyal community and new diners alike,” says Petta. “This is just the beginning of Genzo’s evolution and we can’t wait for Chef Kim to make his mark”.
Neighbouring restaurant Soluna was temporarily closed to guests, but reopened yesterday with a revised culinary direction — Italian.
The group recruited master pizzaiolo Alberto Cacciatore to join the team and develop a range of wood-fired pizza options on a dough crafted from tipo 00 flour and sourdough starter. To celebrate its reopening, Soluna is offering free Margherita pizzas with any exclusive beverage purchase from 9-13 April.
The rest of the menu has been revised and now lists classic Italian dishes including antipasti, chicken cotoletta, porchetta, and lasagna served tableside. There’s also a selection of pastas available including cappellacci with pumpkin, ricotta, burnt butter, sage, and hazelnut; and spanner crab, tomato, and lemon crumb spaghetti.
2025 is gearing up to be a busy year for Etymon, which recently opened Petit Loulou in the CBD and will soon launch Loulou Bistro, which joins its portfolio of The Charles, Poetica, Loulou, Una, and Sol Bread & Wine.
