Momofuku Seiobo names new executive chef

Paul Carmichael, executive chef at New York's Momofuku Ma Peche, is moving to Sydney to helm the kitchen of David Chang's eatery at The Star.

A spokesperson for Momofuku could only confirm Carmichael is in the process of moving from the US and will be making the transition to executive chef at Sydney's Momofuku Seiobo "as soon as he can".

Momofuku Seiobo will continue to operate as normal during this transition period.

The current executive chef at the three-hatted restaurant, Ben Greeno, has accepted a position with Justin Hemmes' Merivale Group. The English-born chef officially starts with Merivale this month and will be on the pans at The Paddington Arms Hotel when it relaunches later in the year.

His replacement joined Momofuku Ma Peche as sous chef in 2010, and was promoted to executive chef in October 2011. Carmichael was recognised as a James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalist for best new city chef in 2014 and 2015 and was nominated as Food & Wine magazine's people's best new chef in 2014.

"The opportunity to experience a new culinary landscape, to be exposed to food and culture from the opposite side of the world, and to create from a perspective unlike any I've been exposed to, is what draws me to Australia," says Carmichael. "When approached with the position at Seiobo, I couldn't pass it up."

Carmichael recently spent time with Greeno at Seiobo to familiarise himself with the restaurant and the Sydney team. The menu format is not expected to change.

The first Momofuku location (Momofuku Noodle Bar) was opened by Korean-American chef David Chang in 2004. There are now more than 10 Momofuku-branded bars and restaurants across New York, Sydney and Toronto, Canada.