COTE is a Korean word (꽃, Korean pronunciation:[k͈ot̚]) that can mean flower, blossom, bloom, beauty, or essence.
History
COTE Korean Steakhouse in New York and Miami are owned and operated by Simon Kim, who was born in Seoul and moved to Long Island with his family when he was 13 years old.[4] Before opening COTE, Kim operated the now-closed Michelin-starred restaurant, Piora, in the West Village.[5] Kim's original "Korean Steakhouse" concept combines Korean barbecue with a high-end American steakhouse experience and was inspired by his dual nationalities.[6]
COTE Korean Steakhouse dry ages steaks in-house and is the only Korean steakhouse in New York with a dry aging room.[7] COTE's head chef is David Shim, who previously worked at M. Wells and L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon. “Wine prodigy”[8] Victoria James is the Beverage Director.
In October 2018, Kim opened Undercote, an underground bar and cocktail lounge underneath COTE New York.[9]
COTE Miami has its own Vegetable Fermentation Lab.[10]
COTE has received numerous accolades from the prestigious James Beard Foundation including Best New Restaurant, 2018;[12] Outstanding Wine Program, 2019;[13] and Outstanding Wine Program, 2020.[14]
Within one year of its opening, COTE New York earned its first Michelin star. The Michelin Guide noted its “particularly interesting wine list”.[15][16] In 2022, the Miami location also won a Michelin star.[17]
Restaurant critic for the New York Times, Pete Wells, considered COTE to serve better beef than any other Korean BBQ restaurant in New York City.[18][19]