Ten years ago, BELON arrived in SoHo with a distinct point of view. Modern French cooking shaped by precision, clarity and restraint. Over time, it earned its place as the Pearl of SoHo, not through reinvention, but through consistency, discipline and a quiet confidence in its identity. 

What followed was not a fixed trajectory, but a series of shifts: A move into a new space. A kitchen that continued to refine itself. A voice that, while grounded in its foundations, never stopped evolving. Today, as BELON marks its tenth year, that evolution becomes the story. 

At the centre of it is Head Chef Mina Güçlüer. Since joining the restaurant in 2019, Mina has developed within the structure built alongside Executive Chef Matthew Kirkley. The approach remains rooted in precision, but her perspective introduces a different rhythm. The cooking is lighter, more composed, with a focus on clarity over richness and intention over excess. 

“BELON has always been about sincerity on the plate,” says Mina. “My role is to continue that, while allowing the cooking to evolve with the restaurant.” 

To mark the occasion, BELON presents a 10-course anniversary menu from 5 June, available throughout the month. The menu traces the restaurant’s journey through a series of dishes that move between past and present, revisiting key moments and reworking them through Mina’s perspective. 

The Foie Gras Tartlet with Sauternes nods to the richness and precision that shaped BELON’s early years, while Green Asparagus with Caviar and Citrus Anglaise reflects the lighter, more restrained direction of the kitchen today. Corn and Chorizo Scarpinocc brings warmth and depth through delicate pasta and layered flavours, expressing a more personal side of Mina’s cooking. 

Rather than preserving dishes as they were, the menu allows them to shift, be refined and at times, reimagined entirely. This moment also marks a change in the kitchen dynamic. Chef Matthew remains closely connected to the restaurant, but his role today is one of guidance, supporting Mina as she leads BELON into its next phase. 

A decade on, the Pearl of SoHo continues to grow and evolve. With Mina at the helm, BELON enters its next chapter with a clear, personal and forward-looking voice. 

BELON’s 10-course menu is priced at $1888 per guest plus ten per cent | Available from 5 – 31 July | Reserve here.  

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