Chuseok gift cake reservations at Chef Cho, a Seocho cake shop

A Gangnam, Seoul cake shop recommendation — the story of picking up Chef Cho's mango cake and fig pistachio slice to take home.

Where is Chef Cho in Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam?

Chef Cho is a cake shop inside Sweet Park, in the basement of Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam. I went down to Sweet Park in the basement of the Gangnam branch this time. There are several dessert shops gathered together, and among them I visited Chef Cho, which is a popular spot known for its Gangnam cakes.

Heading toward Sweet Park in the basement, I found the shop pretty quickly.

It's located in the dessert corner, and a lot of people were already lined up waiting. I got in line behind them and waited my turn. While waiting, I looked around at the cakes in the display case.

From cute little slice cakes

to clean, simple whole cakes, there was such a variety it was fun just to browse.

Chef Cho prices: mango cake and fig pistachio slice

Chef Cho's signature mango cake was ₩56,000, and the fig pistachio slice cake was ₩12,000. I agonized for a long time between the peach strawberry cake and the mango cake in the display case.

After much deliberation, since I wanted to taste both the fresh whipped-cream fruit cake feel and the nutty pistachio flavor, I bought Chef Cho's flagship signature mango cake (₩56,000) and the fig pistachio slice cake (₩12,000).

Who is the chef behind Chef Cho?

While waiting in line, I noticed the chef's profile posted on one side of the shop.

The chef here is a Korean Master Confectioner and has even appeared on the TV show Masters of Life as a pâtissier.

Drawing on 23 years of experience running a bakery, they say they use fresh fruit and 100% dairy whipped cream every day. I especially liked that they use low-sugar cream — even before tasting it, I already trusted the flavor. Low-sugar is just the best, right? ❤️

Does Chef Cho's packaging survive a subway ride home?

After ordering, I asked Chef Cho to pack the desserts for takeout. The staff packed the cake boxes securely together with an ice pack.

Thanks to the sturdy packaging, I was able to carry the cakes comfortably all the way home even through the crowded subway.

When I got home and opened the box, it seemed the fig pistachio slice had shifted a bit while carrying both cakes together, because one side was slightly dented. T.T

My eyes nearly welled up a little, but after one bite, the sweet and nutty flavors blended together so well that it was really delicious.

How did the signature mango cake taste?

As soon as I opened the signature mango cake, I immediately understood why it's the signature.

The mango slices were layered on top like a beautiful flower,

and the inside was really packed full too.

When I cut into a slice, there was so much mango that you could barely see the sponge underneath.

Because it's low-sugar cream, it wasn't cloying at all and was so smooth that the whole family enjoyed it. 😋

Does Chef Cho take Chuseok gift cake reservations?

While waiting for the packaging, I noticed Chef Cho is also taking reservations for Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) gift cakes.

The packaging was so luxurious and pretty that whoever receives it would surely love it.

If you're passing through Express Bus Terminal before heading down to your hometown, picking one up would be perfect. It seems like it would make a thoughtful gift 💕 If you're looking for a Gangnam cake shop or a Seoul cake shop, I recommend Chef Cho at Shinsegae Gangnam!