Gastronomic Dining Collection presented by MICHELIN Guide & Citi ULTIMA

Whispers of Nature 

This edition will feature Chef Takeshi and Chef Michihiro, a collaborative dinner focusing on nature's bounty through Chef Takeshi's craft on modern Kappo cuisine and Chef Michihiro's innovative Japanese cuisine.

Experience an extraordinary culinary collaboration as two masterful Japanese chefs hailing from exquisite kitchens come together for this four hands dinner. This exclusive dinner promises an unforgettable journey through the artistry of Japanese gastronomy, where Chef Takeshi's craft of modern Kappo cuisine meets Chef Michihiro's innovative techniques and dedication to sustainability.

Chef Takeshi Araki: His goal is a pure one: “I am working towards serving more authentic Japanese dishes, so that I can bring (diners) a higher level of Japanese cultural experience through the cuisine,” he said.

Araki’s culinary philosophy has been largely shaped by his four years at three MICHELIN Starred Nihonryori RyuGin in Tokyo, where his mentors had “the best knife skills I have ever seen – their delicate touch with the knife was incredible, such that even after the ingredients had been sliced or cut, they still looked ‘alive’. ‘Till today, I am conscious about how to bring the best out of the ingredients with my knife skills. For example, in summer, the hamo (pike conger) comes into season – and it takes skills and practice to break it down, especially the bones.”

What MICHELIN Inspectors Say About m Esora: Esora means "painting in the sky" in Japanese. With an omakase menu that changes daily to make use of the best ingredients imported from Japan, Esora – like the ever-changing sky – presents a new experience each time. The Japanese head chef excels at melding Japanese details with French techniques, with elaborate plating and floral arrangements to boot. The tea pairing, with perfectly brewed Taiwanese and Japanese teas, is a real triumph.

Chef Michihiro Haruta: Born in 1987, Michihiro Haruta began his culinary career in Fukuoka on the northern tip of the island of Kyushu. As a young adult, he embarked on a gastronomic tour of France (Alsace, Perigord, and Provence) that he concluded in 2010 in the three MICHELIN Starred kitchens of Ledoyen in Paris.

Imbued with the spirit of his travels, the chef offers French cuisine with Scandinavian accents at Crony, sometimes with a North American touch. The restaurant is a relaxed space and provides the perfect backdrop to the beautifully sober dishes that reflect Michihiro Haruta’s zen.

What MICHELIN Inspectors Say About mm Crony: A detached, glass-walled house stands across from a park; ascend the stairs adjacent to the kitchen and you reach a dining room with a Scandinavian interior. The prix fixe menu begins with tea in season. The restaurant’s name refers to ‘friends who will drink tea together always’, referring to the circle of guests, staff and food producers. The chef’s aim is to serve food that is simple yet original. Both service and kitchen staff bring the food to your table.

The restaurant uses sustainable seafood and avoids juvenile fish and endangered species in order to preserve marine resources. They source imperfect vegetables and have created a specialty using unused sake lees. Their use of solar salt and honey is also part of their sustainability efforts.

Citi ULTIMA 'Whispers of Nature' Dining Experience