How much can one learn about a chef just from a single dish? In our Plate Stories series, we take you on a delicious journey into the minds of the world’s top chefs as they unfurl the stories behind each thoughtfully plated ingredient.
One of the most exciting chefs in Asia at the moment, Japanese chef Hideaki Sato is widely celebrated for his delicate and refined cooking style that seamlessly marries French culinary techniques with the kaiseki traditions and premium produce of his homeland.
He cultivated this elegant culinary style after years of working under the tutelage of Seiji Yamamoto at three-Michelin-starred Nihonryori Ryugin in Tokyo, and later, as the chef-patron at Tenku Ryugin in Hong Kong, Mr Yamamoto’s first satellite kitchen.
Under chef Sato’s leadership, Tenku Ryugin earned two Michelin stars in the Michelin Guide’s Hong Kong edition within the first six months of its opening in 2012. In 2015, chef Sato repeated this success when he left Tenku Ryugin to set up his own elegant fine dining restaurant, Ta Vie in Central Hong Kong, which similarly garnered its first Michelin star barely a few months after its launch.
We managed to catch up with the talented and humble chef while he was in town earlier last month to cook a 4-hands dinner with chef Ivan Brehm of Singapore's The Kitchen at Bacchanalia. Designing their menu around memories and recollections of past experiences, the two chefs presented an eight-course menu with brilliantly original creations. In this video, he gives us an insight into the philosophy behind his signature dish, a black egg custard with Aori ika squid.
Written by
Debbie Yong
Debbie Yong was part of the editorial team behind the Michelin Guide Singapore website. Now a freelance food writer and digital content strategist, she is as happy tucking into a plate of char kway teow as a platter of charcuterie.
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One of the most exciting chefs in Asia at the moment, Japanese chef Hideaki Sato is widely celebrated for his delicate and refined cooking style that seamlessly marries French culinary techniques with the kaiseki traditions and premium produce of his homeland. 
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