New Delhi, Feb. 14 -- When South Korean chef Jun Lee opened his restaurant SOIGNE in Seoul 13 years ago, explaining what fine dining meant was part of the job.

Customers would ask for a la carte items at his "modern Seoul cuisine" restaurant, which only serves a tasting menu, or question why a meal took so long.

Today Lee finds himself answering different questions - queries about flavor combinations, cooking techniques, and the philosophy behind his dishes.

"Many people either didn't know this culture existed or weren't particularly interested," said Lee, whose restaurant name means "well-made" in French. "But now they're becoming interested, and when they come to dine, the questions they ask - the style of their questions - have more...