5 things I learned about Japanese food at the Luxury Dining Series in Osaka

Time Out

4 days ago

It may be a cliché to say that when we eat, we travel, but it's nonetheless true. Food offers a tangible, and often joyful, way to connect with a place's culture, history and people. That's why cuisine is so often inseparable from the experience of travel.
At the recent Luxury Dining Series at St. Regis Osaka – part of Marriott International's regional dining event spanning key Asian cities including Bangkok and Jakarta – the hotel's chefs teamed up with culinary luminaries from Japan and abroad to explore the theme 'Forgotten Flavours'.
While the menus took liberal approaches to interpreting the term 'forgotten' – sources of inspiration are usually treated rather loosely in food – the event offered fascinating insight into Japan's, and by extension the world's, dynamic food landscape. After attending two four-hand dinners, one standout lunch highlighting Kanto vs. Kansai differences, a cross-cultural afternoon tea and a bar guest shift – all over the weekend of July 11-13 – here's what I discovered.
1. As the food world becomes more homogenous, we often forget the origins of ingredients
Under the statement chandeliers at La Veduta, St. Regis Osaka's Italian restaurant, head chef Michiaki Yoshida teamed up with chef Agustin Balbi from the Michelin-starred Ando in Hong Kong to present an Italian-Japanese tasting menu that celebrated Japan's quality produce.
Here, creamy botan ebi shrimp was served in shiso-spiced tomato water reminiscent of the Italian classic acqua pazza, and seasoned with the saline flavours of sea asparagus and the umami notes of slow-roasted tomatoes blended with nanko plums.
Then there was the dainty steamed crab on corn panna cotta, topped with caviar. The unassuming dish was surprisingly laborious in preparation: the corn was first baked in a salt crust while the caviar was cured in kombu seaweed to intensify their natural flavours.
The chefs' inspired use of accompanying ingredients as seasoning – in place of conventional salt and pepper – was on point, while the wine pairings were cohesive: all similarly juicy and vibrant, yet concentrated in flavour.
What stood out, however, was the recurring presence of tomatoes across several dishes. Chef Balbi wanted to remind us that this now-ubiquitous ingredient – plus the corn in the aforementioned starter – originated from South America, even as they've become foundational to cuisines many time zones away. Today, it's hard to imagine Italian cuisine without tomatoes or street markets in many corners of the world without corn on the cob.
Although the tomatoes and corn used in this menu were harvested from farms in Japan, it's important to remember where these ingredients originally came from and recognise their cross-cultural influence. Because clearly, food is better for it.
2. Japan's quality produce makes for the perfect canvas to express different world cuisines
It's common knowledge that Japan has some of the best produce in the world: pristine, flavourful and highly seasonal. But that excellence becomes especially clear when it's served up on the plate.
In the aforementioned Japanese-Italian tasting menu at La Veduta, maitake mushrooms added a meaty bite to a creamy rice dish, while the Japanese summer staple sweetfish was transformed into a rillette and deep-fried tempura-style. The merging of Italian and Japanese flavours felt so seamless it was hard to pull them apart. As Chef Balbi pointed out, Japanese and Italian cuisines are both produce-driven, making them a natural match.
Quality also drives versatility. As demonstrated in Brasserie Régine 's event-exclusive menu by hotel chef Takatoki Minagawa and guest chef Ryuta Iizuka of the two-Michelin-starred Tokyo restaurant Ryuzu, Japanese ingredients stood proud even in elaborate French cooking.
Case in point: the Senshu eggplant from Osaka that was paired with a conger eel beignet, a variety so prized for its firm texture and delicate flavour that it was kept raw to complement the lightness of the anago 'doughnut'. Another standout ingredient, Nanatani duck from Kyoto, was prepared two ways to show off its quality: dry-aged and roasted, and also confit then pan-fried for that perfect crispy skin finish.
3. There's so much about Japanese cuisine the world still doesn't know
Can you imagine Japanese cuisine without soy sauce? Neither could my dinner companions and I at La Veduta, until the chefs revealed that Japan has an ancient seasoning that predates soy sauce and is quietly making a comeback.
Called irizake, this OG flavouring is made from sake, umeboshi (pickled plums), katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) and salt. Its mild flavour is a perfect match for fish – like the menu's crispy-scale isaki (chicken grunt) that was served with torigai (heart clam) and Fushimi pepper – as it doesn't overpower the seafood's natural freshness. (Though in my book, any crispy-scale fish is already a winner.)
Another fun fact: did you know Osaka produces its own wine? At the four-hands teppanyaki meal, Wajo head chef Takato Kitano and master teppan chef Yuki Ode from Tokyo's Ritz-Carlton paired their dishes with local vino.
A red Muscat Bailey A (a Japanese hybrid grape) from Kontokuya Winery in Osaka's Kawachi region was particularly memorable, as its smooth mouthfeel and soft tannins didn't overpower the clean, delicate flavours of Japanese cuisine.
Then there was the surprise of a sparkling wine by Katashimo, the oldest winery in western Japan, based in Kashiwara, Osaka. Called Tako-Cham and made from Delaware grapes, it was crafted specifically to match Osaka's most famous street food: the octopus ball, takoyaki. And yes, it was lovely.
4. The differences between Kanto and Kansai food are actually quite significant
The friendly rivalry between Kanto and Kansai really manifests itself in food. But it's not about who does it better. Rather, these two regions (Kanto, where Tokyo is, and Kansai, where Osaka is) are treating the same ingredients differently to highlight various characteristics.
At the aforementioned four-hands teppanyaki meal, Osaka chef Takato Kitano of Wajo and Tokyo-based chef Yuki Ode showcased that difference in the clearest way: through a dish of unagi (eel). In Kanto, eel is sliced down the back, while in Kansai, it's opened from the belly. Another key distinction lies in the cooking method: Kanto-style eel is first steamed, then grilled, whereas in Kansai, the eel goes straight to grilling while being basted in tare (sweet soy sauce).
I'd read about these differences, but they became really apparent when the two styles of unagi were served side by side. With Kanto-style's pre-steaming, the soft and delicate flesh fell apart with just the lightest pressure of the palate. The Osaka-style, by contrast, was firmer, slightly chewier and had a smoky, crisp skin.
5. Food and drink can and should be fun, too
Sure, technique, provenance and quality ingredients are the cornerstones of great food. But sometimes, we get so caught up in those details that we forget the simple truth: food (and drinks) should be fun, too.
That spirit came through in the playful afternoon tea by Alex Chong, pastry chef from the Singapore Edition, who gave the classic St. Regis ritual a playful twist with flavours from his native Southeast Asia. Traditional scones were given a tropical twist with fragrant pandan leaves and pineapple chutney. Japanese mochi, meanwhile, took the form of onde-onde, a pop-in-your-mouth glutinous rice snack filled with one of my favourite flavour combinations: coconut and palm sugar molasses.
Throughout the weekend, Hideyuki Saito from the Gold Bar at Tokyo Edition, Toranomon, took over the stately St. Regis Bar with cocktails that were just as fun in spirit.
One mixed shochu with riesling and finished with jasmine tea 'fog' for a dramatic presentation. Another, the Salsa Claro, elevated the classic margarita with clear tomato juice and a kick of habanero. They were the perfect nightcaps to sip on while reflecting on the inspired food served by Luxury Dining Series Osaka's in-house and guest chefs.
The Osaka Noh Festa is now underway