French haute cuisine will be given a fresh spin by two chefs who are decidedly non-French. Chef de cuisine Eric Raty of Hong Kong’s hot new restaurant Arbor will be hosting chef Yusuke Takada of two-Michelin-starred La Cime in Osaka for an exciting four-hands collaborative dinner menu from 29 to 31 August.
Takada (pictured left in banner image) hails from Japan’s idyllic Amami Islands in the Kagoshima prefecture, known for its immaculate environment and bounty of fresh produce. Having cut his teeth at three-Michelin-starred Restaurant Le Meurice and two-Michelin-starred Taillevent in Paris, he returned to Osaka and opened La Cime in 2010, which received its first Michelin star after just one year and was elevated to two stars in 2016, retaining that status ever since.
Raty, on the other hand, hails from Finland and is the chef de cuisine at Arbor, which opened in April at lifestyle hotspot H Queen's in Central. He worked his way up from part-time cook to head chef at the renowned two-starred Restaurant Chez Dominique in Helsinki and followed that up with a tenure at three-Michelin-starred Restaurant Aqua in Ritz Carton Wolfburg in Germany.
Takada (pictured left in banner image) hails from Japan’s idyllic Amami Islands in the Kagoshima prefecture, known for its immaculate environment and bounty of fresh produce. Having cut his teeth at three-Michelin-starred Restaurant Le Meurice and two-Michelin-starred Taillevent in Paris, he returned to Osaka and opened La Cime in 2010, which received its first Michelin star after just one year and was elevated to two stars in 2016, retaining that status ever since.
Raty, on the other hand, hails from Finland and is the chef de cuisine at Arbor, which opened in April at lifestyle hotspot H Queen's in Central. He worked his way up from part-time cook to head chef at the renowned two-starred Restaurant Chez Dominique in Helsinki and followed that up with a tenure at three-Michelin-starred Restaurant Aqua in Ritz Carton Wolfburg in Germany.
The main dining room of Arbor (Pic: Arbor)
Together, the chefs will bring their individual influences and ingredients-first approach to the French fine-dining experience at Arbor. This four hands event will feature a range of coveted premium ingredients including seasonal hand-picked Japanese produce in a harmony of elegant Japanese sensibility and French gastronomic excellence.
Here, we invite the duo to talk about their upcoming collaboration and what they think about each other.
What do you think about four-hands collaborations in general?
Yusuke Takada: Four-hands collaborations are excellent way for chefs to meet and share passions, skills and cooking philosophies. Because you have to work in a completely different kitchen and environment with different people than you usually do, it can be quite difficult but also very exciting and it always gives you some new thoughts.
Eric Raty: I think four-hands collaborations are good opportunities for chefs to step out of their own kitchen and comfort zone. Since it's all about synergy between the chefs sharing the kitchen, it’s also a great chance to acquire different cultures and new inspirations. For young chefs, it is certainly an extraordinary experience and a way to build connections overseas. That’s also how I finally landed in Hong Kong as I travelled with my mentors to do guest chef events all around world back then.
Here, we invite the duo to talk about their upcoming collaboration and what they think about each other.
What do you think about four-hands collaborations in general?
Yusuke Takada: Four-hands collaborations are excellent way for chefs to meet and share passions, skills and cooking philosophies. Because you have to work in a completely different kitchen and environment with different people than you usually do, it can be quite difficult but also very exciting and it always gives you some new thoughts.
Eric Raty: I think four-hands collaborations are good opportunities for chefs to step out of their own kitchen and comfort zone. Since it's all about synergy between the chefs sharing the kitchen, it’s also a great chance to acquire different cultures and new inspirations. For young chefs, it is certainly an extraordinary experience and a way to build connections overseas. That’s also how I finally landed in Hong Kong as I travelled with my mentors to do guest chef events all around world back then.
This four-hands menu will take on an ingredients-first approach (Pic: Arbor)
How do you usually select your four-hands partner?
Yusuke Takada: I sometimes make an offer and other times I get invited. I decide on the partner depending on whether I think the collaboration between me and the partner chef will be interesting or not.
Eric Raty: First, we need to consider if we can bring our new customers something new and exciting. Second, he or she has to be someone who inspires our team.
What do you think about your four-hands partner this time?
Yusuke Takada: I was at Arbor with chef Nicolas Boutin to try some dishes before its opening. My first impression of Eric was that he is a very, very impressive chef.
Eric Raty: I think chef Takada from La Cime is quite a perfect match for us since he is a master and pioneer of French culinary with Japanese inspiration, which coincidentally matches Arbor’s philosophy. I can feel his culinary style is all about inspiration and he is also pursuing an endless journey of searching of new ingredients and flavour profiles. I genuinely believe he can bring something extraordinary for our regular guests in Arbor.
Please tell us more about the menu.
Yusuke Takada: I asked chef Eric to compose a rough idea of the menu and we chatted, made the changes and the new menu was born. To put it simply, the menu will be the mixture of Western and Japanese cuisine.
Eric Raty: The menu is going to be really unexpected. I am most looking forward to his dish of awabi (abalone) and his style of focusing on seasonal vegetables. On our side, I will create some completely new dishes for our customers. There will be a lot of fun, energy and excitement in the kitchen during the three days.
Yusuke Takada: I sometimes make an offer and other times I get invited. I decide on the partner depending on whether I think the collaboration between me and the partner chef will be interesting or not.
Eric Raty: First, we need to consider if we can bring our new customers something new and exciting. Second, he or she has to be someone who inspires our team.
What do you think about your four-hands partner this time?
Yusuke Takada: I was at Arbor with chef Nicolas Boutin to try some dishes before its opening. My first impression of Eric was that he is a very, very impressive chef.
Eric Raty: I think chef Takada from La Cime is quite a perfect match for us since he is a master and pioneer of French culinary with Japanese inspiration, which coincidentally matches Arbor’s philosophy. I can feel his culinary style is all about inspiration and he is also pursuing an endless journey of searching of new ingredients and flavour profiles. I genuinely believe he can bring something extraordinary for our regular guests in Arbor.
Please tell us more about the menu.
Yusuke Takada: I asked chef Eric to compose a rough idea of the menu and we chatted, made the changes and the new menu was born. To put it simply, the menu will be the mixture of Western and Japanese cuisine.
Eric Raty: The menu is going to be really unexpected. I am most looking forward to his dish of awabi (abalone) and his style of focusing on seasonal vegetables. On our side, I will create some completely new dishes for our customers. There will be a lot of fun, energy and excitement in the kitchen during the three days.
Yusuke Takada and Eric Raty will give a fresh spin on French haute cuisine (Pic: La Cime)
One tip for guests to enjoy this four-hands collaboration to the fullest?
Yusuke Takada: I am a Japanese chef but I don’t make Japanese cuisine. So, I would love the guests to focus on how and why a Japanese chef makes non-Japanese cuisine, and of course on the chemistry between chef Eric and I.
Eric Raty: Just enjoy and leave everything behind for that couple of hours so that you can savour every bite and flavour of this unique dinner. Plus, let our team take the best care of you and offer the most exquisite wine pairing for you. Take a chance to catch Chef Takada and myself so we can explain all details of dishes and ingredients to you.
Yusuke Takada: I am a Japanese chef but I don’t make Japanese cuisine. So, I would love the guests to focus on how and why a Japanese chef makes non-Japanese cuisine, and of course on the chemistry between chef Eric and I.
Eric Raty: Just enjoy and leave everything behind for that couple of hours so that you can savour every bite and flavour of this unique dinner. Plus, let our team take the best care of you and offer the most exquisite wine pairing for you. Take a chance to catch Chef Takada and myself so we can explain all details of dishes and ingredients to you.
