Seocho cake shop, syrup-free 3-layer Strawberry Mango cake: Chef Cho

Which cake should you try at Shinsegae Gangnam's Sweet Park?

Shinsegae Gangnam is a dessert paradise. If you ask the writer which cake you absolutely have to try in Sweet Park, the answer is Chef Cho (쉐프조).

I recommend Chef Cho!

Way back, my boyfriend got a recommendation from an acquaintance and reserved a Chef Cho cake for my birthday. It was so good that I've kept buying it with my own money ever since. It's a Seoul cake favorite of mine, and it turns out it has a spot in Shinsegae Gangnam's Sweet Park too!

How to get to Chef Cho Shinsegae Gangnam from Express Bus Terminal Station

Chef Cho at Shinsegae Gangnam is in Sweet Park, in the basement of Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam, which connects directly to Express Bus Terminal Station. Get off at Express Bus Terminal Station on Line 3 or Line 9, take the exit that leads to Shinsegae Gangnam, and you'll see this entrance!

Then follow the signs toward the Honam Line terminal and you'll see "Sweet Park."

This is Sweet Park! Facing this direction, the Shinsegae Gangnam cake favorites are clustered on the right.

And the one I recommend most is CHEF CHO (쉐프조), proudly carrying the title of one of the "Big Four" cake makers from the TV show Master of Living (생활의 달인)!

Chef Cho Shinsegae Gangnam cake types and prices

Chef Cho at Shinsegae Gangnam has a wide lineup: slice cakes (₩9,800–₩11,000), crepe rolls (₩13,800–₩14,800), minis (₩39,000–₩41,000) and No. 1 whole cakes (₩53,000–₩56,000). The cake shops that make it into Shinsegae Gangnam all feel like places that are hot, popular and guaranteed to taste good, haha. There's a great variety too, so it's easy to pick one to suit your taste.

Slice cakes and crepe rolls

• Real Strawberry Fresh Cream (slice) ₩9,800

• Matcha Choco Strawberry (slice) ₩11,000
• Real Mango Fresh Cream (slice) ₩9,800
• Dark Choco Forest (slice) ₩11,000
• Fruit Melon Crepe Roll ₩14,800
• Pistachio Forest ₩11,000
• Strawberry Mango Fresh Cream (slice) ₩9,800
• Fruit White Crepe Roll ₩13,800

Mini and No. 1 whole cakes

• Pure Milk Strawberry Dome Mini ₩39,000

• Strawberry Mango Flower Mini ₩39,000
• Strawberry Mango Flower No. 1 ₩53,000

• Real Mango Rose Mini ₩39,000
• Real Mango Rose No. 1 ₩56,000

• Pistachio Forest No. 1 ₩56,000

• Dark Choco Forest Mini ₩39,000
• Cacao 52% Choco Whole Strawberry No. 1 ₩53,000

• Cacao 52% Choco Whole Strawberry Mini ₩41,000

Can you buy a Chef Cho cake without a reservation?

The showcase at Chef Cho Shinsegae Gangnam is packed with cakes, so you can buy one on the spot without a reservation. It's best to reserve ahead for birthdays and anniversaries, but the plus is that even when you suddenly need a cake in a hurry, you can just grab one.

By the way, on a weekday morning you can pick up whichever kind you want right away! And of course, if it's a cake you really need for an important day, you can also reserve ahead at Chef Cho Shinsegae Gangnam!

How did the Chef Cho Strawberry Mango Fresh Cream No. 1 taste?

This time I picked the Chef Cho Strawberry Mango Fresh Cream No. 1. Honestly, it wasn't any special day, but I'm such a bread-and-cake lover that I chose it to share with a friend, haha.

First, the look is just dazzling. Bright red strawberries and deep yellow fresh mango, like looking at pretty jewels!

If you're on a cake pilgrimage, I really hope you'll try this...! It wasn't any occasion, but I stuck in one candle and made a wish anyway, haha.

It's not just the decoration on top. Take off the clear cover around the side and the sides are full of strawberries and mango too.

And when I cut a slice and put it on a plate, oh my, look at that cross-section!!! Moist, soft sponge in 3 layers, with plenty of sweet, clean cream between them! And fresh strawberries and fresh mango tucked in here and there!!

Moist sponge without syrup, and cream like ice cream

Just like the first time I tried it, it was still so good! The cream is rich and luxurious, like eating really good ice cream, and so delicious! And the sponge is truly soft and moist!

It's not the style of sponge made moist by brushing on syrup. The cake's own texture and flavor are simply delicious, a truly great cake place!!! On top of that, it isn't too sweet, and the overall harmony is perfect.

Why I recommend Chef Cho among Shinsegae Gangnam cakes

The reason I recommend Chef Cho among Shinsegae Gangnam cakes is the pretty look, of course, but above all the taste.

• ✔️ Pretty look
• ✔️ Fresh cream as good as ice cream
• ✔️ Moist, soft sponge

Quality has leveled up everywhere these days, so honestly the mango was a little underwhelming, but for soft sponge and delicious fresh cream, I don't think anyone can beat Chef Cho.

Next time I need an anniversary cake, I'll have to go back for their signature Pistachio Forest!