Jihun Kim leaves Somssi weeks after Michelin star win

Jihun Kim has left Somssi at Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, just weeks after the restaurant won a Michelin star.

Jihun announced his departure in an Instagram statement reflecting on his time at the hotel, from the Akira Back era through to Somssi’s rapid rise, earning a star in February's 2026 Michelin ceremony in Dublin.

His post this week read: “Today marks my departure of the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair after an unforgettable journey - full of highs, lows, and everything in between.

“From opening Akira Back at DNA, to building and evolving concepts like Dosa Kitchen Table, to the pride of earning a Michelin star in 6 months… losing it shortly after, and quietly working to earn it back again in 2026 as Somssi by Jihun Kim.

“I often think back to a drive I once did from British Columbia to Toronto - pitch black roads, no GPS, seeing only a few meters ahead. But I kept moving forward. Every moment shaped me. Same mindset.

“Those who have enjoyed Somssi and been part of its journey - I hope to welcome you again, wherever that may be.”

From Dosa to Somssi by Jihun Kim

Dosa by Akira Back opened at Mandarin Oriental Mayfair in 2024 and quickly won a Michelin star under Jihun’s executive chef leadership.

The restaurant won a star within three months, before the hotel later ended its partnership with Akira Back and renamed Dosa as Somssi, still run by Jihun.

Dosa closed after Akira concluded his culinary operations at Mandarin Oriental Mayfair in July 2025, and Jihun then launched Somssi by Jihun Kim in the former Dosa site.

Somssi went on to secure its own Michelin star in early 2026 after roughly six months of trading.

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Somssi confirmed closed after Michelin success

The Somssi restaurant itself also appears to have closed. While still listed on the Mandarin Oriental website, bookings are no longer available for the restaurant, while its page in the Michelin Guide is also showing as ‘restaurant not found’.

A short-lived but high-profile chapter in Mayfair

The speed of Somssi’s rise makes the closure especially striking. After the Akira Back partnership ended, Somssi was positioned as a more personal chef-led concept centred on refined Korean cooking, with Jihun stepping into sharper focus as the creative identity behind the counter restaurant.

What comes next for Jihun has not yet been announced publicly. But given the trajectory outlined in his own statement, from helping open Dosa to relaunching the concept as Somssi and earning Michelin recognition again, his next move is likely to attract significant attention across the industry.