Cutting ceremonies involving gigantic silvery Bluefin tuna usually conjures up images of early morning tuna auctions and serious Japanese chefs wielding long blades—but did you know that the Spanish have their own 3,000-year-old tradition of tuna cutting as well?
“Many of the tunas from Spain actually end up at these Japanese auctions,” says chef/owner Nandu Jubany of one-Michelin-starred Can Jubany in Barcelona, ahead of his visit to Singapore next week where he will be leading the El Ronqueo De Atún ceremony at FOC Sentosa.
“Bluefin tuna is regarded as a gem in both Spanish and Japanese cultures. Of course, each of these cultures is different, hence the processes diverge, however, they are all fascinating in their own way.”
The Spanish tradition starts with the fishing of the tuna through a sustainable, time-honoured method called almadraba, one of the oldest trap-fishing processes stemming from 3,000-year-old Phoenician traditions. The fish are caught at the beginning of spring each year, when the tuna are crossing the Gibraltar Strait to enter the Mediterranean sea. According to chef Jubany, this is considered the best interval to catch them due to their optimal fat content, excellent flavour, texture and quality at that time.
In Spain, the cutting of the tuna is as celebrated an affair as in Japan. El Ronqueo de atún means ‘snoring of tuna’, derived from the muffled sound that the knife makes when the Maestro Cortador—or, cutting master—meticulously cuts along the tuna’s spine.
Running a knife along the spine of the tuna makes the 'snoring' sound for which the Spanish ceremony is named.
Serving as the Maestro Cortador at the Big FOC Tuna event on 20 March at FOC Sentosa is chef Jubany, along with chef Hideki Matsuhisa of one-Michelin-starred restaurant Koy Shunka in Barcelona. In the ceremony, the two chefs will dissect the tuna and extract numerous pieces of the fish such as the prized belly, loin, bone meat, marrow, tripe, heart and bloodline.
“The processes might be slightly differing, however the respect towards the great product and its quality, using every single part of its cuts during a compelling ceremony, stays the same,” says chef Jubany. “It is fascinating for me that two completely different cultures celebrate and appreciate the same product, or a similar one, in a very similar way.”
From Left: Hideki Matsuhisa (Koy Shunka), Pau Eche Garcia (FOC Sentosa), Carles Gaig (Gaig) and Jordi Noguera (FOC Group).
In the next two days that follow, the choice cuts from the tuna will be showcased at sequel events at FOC Restaurant (Hongkong Street) and FOC PIM PAM taking place on 21 and 22 March, respectively. Chefs Jubany and Matsuhisa will present the four-hands lunch and dinner at FOC Restaurant; Carles Gaig of his one-Michelin-starred eponymous Gaig will join them on the second evening, along with co/owner Jordi Noguera and FOC Sentosa’s executive chef Pau Eche Garcia, to create an array of tapas highlighting the prized fish.
“It will be a very enriching experience for both customers as well as for us, as chefs,” says chef Jubany. “We are very excited about learning from each other, since each guest chef has a rich experience and are recognised for their cuisine and knowledge. Just imagine all these chefs working side-by-side to create something unique together. It is tremendously exciting!”
Written by
Rachel Tan
Rachel Tan is the Associate Digital Editor at the MICHELIN Guide Digital. A former food magazine writer based in Singapore, she has a degree in communications for journalism but is a graduate of the school of hard knocks in the kitchen. She writes to taste life twice.
Every year, the number of MICHELIN-Starred restaurants in Croatia increases, as does the number awarded a MICHELIN Green Star thanks to the country’s growing interest in sustainability
Gostilna Krištof is a family-run establishment approximately thirty minutes from Ljubljana. In the village of Predoslje, in the heart of Gorenjska, in one of the finest examples in the area of a Gostilna (traditional Slovenian restaurant) and its hospitality. This you can see on parking your car outside the fine villa housing the restaurant, with the green of the arbor cooling the summer outdoor area, but also on entering where old family photos peer from the walls, while the wood tables, covered with white tablecloths, are a prelude to a decidedly engaging experience.
All over the world, the authentic spirit of a city lives and reveals itself along the banks of its river. And that applies even more so to Belgrade. Two rivers flow through it, the Sava and the Danube, and it seems the Celts founded it precisely at their confluence, such that still today the Serbian capital is called “the gateway to the Balkans”.
It can require a long, complex journey to reach these far-flung hotels, but the fantastic landscapes and otherworldly ambience of their locations make the payoff immeasurable.
The Japanese ryokan might be the highest form of hospitality, but it’s not a hotel. For the owners of Beniya Mukayu, it’s important that you understand why.
Kyoto’s historic machiya houses are being repurposed as galleries, cafes, hotels, and more. It’s a symbol of a timeless city struggling to balance tradition against tourism.
Restaurant Harutaka is newly awarded Three MICHELIN Stars. One restaurant newly receives Two MICHELIN Stars, and 16 restaurants are recognised with One MICHELIN Star. The MICHELIN Green Star highlights the sustainable commitment of one new establishment. Two Special Awards are presented: the MICHELIN Mentor Chef and the MICHELIN Service Award.
Since his restaurant AM by Alexandre Mazzia took its third star in 2021, this basketball player turned chef has made no secret of his passion for Japan and its green teas. Let's take a closer look at this creator of imaginative cuisine, a refined man who was born in Congo and adopted Marseille as his home, and who never tires of delving into the gamut of culinary sensations.
Sylvain Sendra, chef at the restaurant Fleur de Pavé (Paris, 2nd arrondissement), was born in Lyon in 1977. He obtained his first MICHELIN Star while working on Paris's Left Bank, at Itinéraires, where he made a name for himself with his high-calibre bistro cuisine. This was the time he became a devotee of Japan and its green teas.
Tokyo’s hotels are in a class of their own — often set high above the city, their high-end offerings have long been the envy of the world. And lately, more and more options for the hip and budget-friendly have joined the scene as well. Below, find a collection of the top hotels in Tokyo.
Myojaku and SÉZANNE receive Two MICHELIN Stars, and 16 new restaurants are distinguished One MICHELIN Star, while the Bib Gourmand celebrates 38 new restaurants which have been rated as best value-for-money by MICHELIN inspectors.