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Tokyo Weekender
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tokyo Weekender
Narisawa: Where Foraged Flavors Become Culinary Art
This article appeared in Tokyo Weekender Vol. 2, 2025. To read the entire issue, click here . Tucked away in an unassuming nook of the elegant neighborhood of Aoyama, Narisawa (stylized as NARISAWA) is an experimental fine dining restaurant acclaimed for its innovative and cerebral approach to sustainable cuisine. Narisawa's omakase-style menu fuses a variety of culinary techniques with the Japanese concept of satoyama. Traditionally, satoyama refers to rural landscapes where humans live in harmony with nature; in recent years, it has come to symbolize sustainability, a deep respect for the earth and the integration of humans and the natural world. Established by Chef Yoshihiro Narisawa in 2003, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant has earned international recognition for its quality, innovation and commitment to environmentally conscious gourmet dining — securing a Michelin Green Star, 14 consecutive years on the World's Best Restaurants list and numerous other accolades. Chef Narisawa A Pioneer of Fine Dining Narisawa grew up in the restaurant industry; it was a path he always wanted to follow. 'My family ran a restaurant, and I was constantly surrounded by delicious food bringing smiles to people's faces,' he says. 'I knew I wanted to inspire the same joy as a chef.' The chef's journey to become a master of his craft wasn't a straightforward one. Though Tokyo is today seen as one of the world's most glittering culinary capitals, with a whopping 183 Michelin-starred eateries, the city's fine dining scene didn't always possess its current abundance of cultural influences. At just 19 years old, Narisawa was among a group of bright-eyed Japanese chefs who ventured abroad during the bubble economy to train under foreign connoisseurs. What they brought back formed the basis for the explosion of tastes we associate with Tokyo today. 'I started my training in traditional Japanese cuisine before heading to Europe, where I felt I could gain more insight into the intricate, storied sphere of fine dining,' Narisawa explains. Throughout the late 80s and early 90s, he studied under some of the world's most revered chefs — including culinary legends Paul Bocuse and Joël Robuchon. In Harmony With Land and Sea Returning to Japan in 1996 after a transformative tenure in France, Italy and Switzerland, Narisawa opened his first French-inspired restaurant, La Napoule, in Kanagawa. It was only after he established his eponymous restaurant in Tokyo — originally named Les Créations de Narisawa — that the chef encountered satoyama culture and began to develop his signature culinary philosophy. While hand-selecting ingredients for his restaurant menu at a mountaintop farm in Nagano Prefecture, Narisawa was struck by the incredible quality of vegetables grown at an altitude of 1,000 meters, which some might assume to be unfavorable conditions. 'The location experiences drastic temperature changes between day and night, but this uncompromising climate is what cultivates the rich, uniquely delicious flavors of its produce,' Narisawa explains. This experience was formative for him, revealing the profound and complex relationship between the forces of nature and his work as a chef. 'I gained a new appreciation for the tremendous impact of the natural environment on our ingredients.' As Narisawa points out, 70% of the Japanese archipelago is covered in forests, meaning that space for cultivation is limited. As such, the people of Japan have always had a deep respect for natural resources and seasonal shifts, using only what they need. Narisawa defines this way of thinking as the heart of satoyama culture. 'Through our innovative satoyama cuisine, we pay homage to the wisdom of our ancestors,' he says. Narisawa Dessert dish 'Camellia and Koji,' which follows the ancestral technique of harnessing camellia ash to cultivate koji mold. The Art of Satoyama Driven by his deep respect for the natural world and a commitment to local ingredients, Narisawa is always exploring new ways to showcase foraged elements in a way that amplifies their inherent flavors. His culinary creations — inventive, intricate and at times astonishingly complex — aim to convey the spirit of nature through a thoughtful harmony of taste and presentation. For instance, the iconic Satoyama Scenery and Essence of the Forest dish uses various wild plants gathered in Ishikawa Prefecture, alongside other traditional Japanese ingredients, to create a gastronomic landscape: 'moss,' 'earth' and 'branches' composed of ingredients like dried tofu residue, bamboo charcoal and candied burdock root. Narisawa extracts the aroma and flavor of thinly shaved cedar and oak wood — a process similar to making dashi soup stock — to create the titular Essence of the Forest, served in a cup on the side. What is truly striking about Narisawa's vision of sustainability is that it extends beyond his culinary philosophy. The chef has been vocal about maintaining a sustainable work-life balance at his restaurant, going against the notoriously long hours and stressful lifestyles of restaurant staff around the world. 'We want to ensure that our staff can work in good health and balance work with family life,' he says. 'We have a closing time of 8 p.m. and have an efficient clean-up process to encourage staff to get proper rest.' This humanistic approach to management ultimately echoes the chef's core objective for the restaurant, which inspired his cooking journey all those years ago. 'We want guests who come to our restaurant to enjoy their meal and leave feeling happy. Simply put, I want to delight people through delicious food,' he states. More Info You can learn more about Chef Narisawa's food journey and recipes in his book Satoyama , photographed by Sergio Coimbra and published by Taschen. Narisawa reservations are available online . Related Posts Inside Den, Designated Asia's Best Restaurant in 2022 Omakase With Attitude at Hashida Tokyo Cucina Diesel Farm: Rustic Italian Cuisine With a High-Fashion Edge
CBC
25-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Inside one of Quebec's 3 Michelin Green Star restaurants
Espace Old Mill in Stanbridge East, Que., was among three spots to be awarded a Michelin Green Star, which recognizes restaurants that take a sustainable and environmentally conscious approach to gastronomy.
Miami Herald
20-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
This tiny pop-up restaurant from 2 Miami chefs won a Michelin star. Now it's closing
The farm-to-table pop-up that defied the odds to win a Michelin star is closing in Miami Shores. EntreNos, the brainchild of chefs Evan Burgess and Osmel Gonzalez, has announced its time sharing space with Tinta y Cafe, which was open during the day with EntreNos taking over at night, has come to an end. The restaurant, which opened in 2023 with an eye toward sustainability and sourcing as much as possible from Florida farms, ranches and fishermen, announced the news on Instagram. 'What started as a short-term pop-up turned into something far more meaningful than we ever expected,' the post said. 'We never planned to last this long but the support, dedication, and love we received made it impossible to walk away. Tinta y Cafe became a home. And at the heart of that home were the farmers, ranchers, fisherfolk, and artisans, those who showed us, season after season, that Florida can grow with purpose, with integrity, and with a true sense of place.' The restaurant, at 9840 NE Second Ave., became known for its ability to preserve, freeze, ferment and macerate local ingredients to find uses for them out of season. Burgess and Gonzalez strove to source ingredients from around the state, from the pig farms in central Florida to the agricultural oasis of Homestead. Local sourcing was a key component of the restaurant. 'You go to a restaurant, and the fish isn't from Florida,' Burgess told the Miami Herald when EntreNos opened. 'Michelin-starred restaurants are getting ingredients from around the world, and there are amazing ingredients in Florida. We agreed we're sick of that system.' The hard work paid off for the pair quickly: In 2024, EntreNos was awarded a Michelin star and praised for its small but impressive menu. 'The eclectic, inviting space may be small, but the cooking here is not to be underestimated,' the guide wrote. 'Just-caught seafood and beautifully grown produce from the Sunshine state take on lives of their own in the hands of this bold, creative team. Think shrimp from Cape Canaveral and soft, confit potatoes with chawanmushi or consider the dry-aged, grilled cobia served with a Moujean tea beurre blanc.' In 2025, EntreNos retained its star and added a Michelin Green Star, an award that highlights restaurants that for outstanding commitment to sustainable practices in gastronomy, places that are leading the way in eco-friendly and ethical food sourcing, waste reduction, and overall environmental responsibility. The restaurant will remain open through June. The team is scheduling a series of special events to celebrate EntreNos; follow @entrenosmiami for a schedule.
Powys County Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Powys restaurant rated among best in Wales picks up award
A Powys restaurant that works on wasting nothing is gaining recognition as one of the best in Wales after winning more awards. Chapters in Hay on Wye has picked up another set of awards after being recognised with 360 Eats prestigious Three Green Circles. For husband-and-wife team Mark and Charmaine McHugo, this is the latest set of accolades and is recognition of their zero-waste philosophy. 'Buying food and it going in the bin is not a possibility for us,' said Charmaine. 'We offer a seasonally changing set menu, that will change maybe every six weeks or so. 'There is a massive focus on seasonal produce, locally sourced produce, whatever we can grow we do but we really like to support other businesses around hay on wye. 'We are ridiculously spoilt for choice with the producers in the area, there are some wonderful things going on.' The pair are coming up to their sixth year running the restaurant on Lion Street which has become a favourite of customers and critics alike. 'We have both been in the industry for a while, said Mark. 'We met in a restaurant in Hereford. We just hit it off and after being together for a couple of years, we decided we wanted to do a restaurant for ourselves. 'We were looking in Hereford at first but then this place in Hay on Wye came up and it was just perfect.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chapters Restaurant (@chapters_hayonwye) The pair had a rocky start with the covid pandemic hitting only months after Chapters opened in 2019. 'It was about eight months into opening when that happened,' said Charmaine. 'We were quite lucky we got to stay open for open but also, we were well supported through that time when we had to change the business model. 'We were just putting out weekly takeaway menus. It was just Mark and me in the kitchen at that time and we had a really lovely amount of support from the people of Hay. 'We got to know the locals through that period so when we reopened, we had really nice amount of support.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chapters Restaurant (@chapters_hayonwye) Since they reopened properly in 2022, the accolades have rolled in including being named the Wales Slow Food Awards restaurant of the year and Mark being named the best Chef in Wales. Chapters has also held a coveted Michelin Green Star since 2022. They have now picked up the 360°Eat Guide award Three green Circles which not only rated them as having the best menu in Wales, they also recognised them for their sustainability, lack of waste and the good relationship with their staff. 'It's amazing getting that recognition, it makes us so proud to be doing what we are doing,' said Mark. Help support trusted local news Sign up for a digital subscription now: As a digital subscriber you will get Unlimited access to the County Times website Advert-light access Reader rewards Full access to our app 'It's interesting, restaurants should be pushed more to think about the whole package but I think more and more places are beginning to think like this,' added Charmaine. 'You are missing on a load of good flavour as well, they add to dishes. One thing we are doing in the kitchen is make our own treacle. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chapters Restaurant (@chapters_hayonwye) 'It's a vegetable treacle, its using the vegetable peelings. They might go in a stock in some places. 'However, we cook it down into a treacle and that element is used in as an ingredient when we bake bread. 'It's finding interesting things to do with the ingredients to add another level of flavour.' Mark added: 'I think we are just going to try and keep doing what we are doing really. We are looking forward to a nice busy summer and the Hay Festival. Which should be tough but good.'
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tiny Welsh restaurant in a former jail where you can't choose what you eat and it's just won a place on a prestigious list
The owners of a tiny restaurant in Powys have spoken about their recent success after being awarded for their sustainability efforts for the second time. Chapters, which is nestled in Hay-on-Wye, was recognised for its efforts in sustainable practices and low waste philosophy with the prestigious three green circles award by 360°Eat Guide. It is one of only 15 restaurants in the UK to be awarded the accolade, and comes three years after the Michelin Green Star, which they have upheld since 2022. The driving force behind this small 22-cover restaurant are husband and wife, Charmaine and Mark McHugo, who opened Chapters on Lion Street in the Powys town back in 2019. READ MORE: One of Cardiff's best independent coffee shops 'sad' as it closes after 11 years citing 'economic pressures' READ MORE: The pretty village pub with great-value food which just demands to be visited For the couple, the recent global award came as a surprise to them. "[360°Eat Guide] got in touch with us to say that somebody had eaten and that they were impressed and wanted to include us on the list," Charmaine explained. "We we didn't know that they'd come in," she continued. "It's quite a nice feeling to be recognised for that. We were absolutely delighted when we looked at the list of people that were included in it with us. "There's some incredible restaurants on that list. And so yes, we are really delighted to be part of it. It's amazing". While it may have come as an initial surprise, Charmaine, Mark and their team at the restaurant have worked hard to earn such a status. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here. Chapters sources its produce from its own kitchen garden, a half-acre plot located a few miles away within a private estate. While Charmaine oversees the growing operation and front of house, Mark is the head chef in the kitchen. The restaurant offers guests a single set menu, which changes every six weeks. Mark's cooking aims to depict a homely but refined style of modern British cuisine, which also focuses on preservation methods such as pickling and fermentation to ensure that dishes utilise all surplus produce from the garden. In an era where environmental concerns are at the forefront of global discourse and in an industry that is prone to waste whether that is through food or packaging, Charmaine and Mark are both passionate about sustainability. "The sustainability side of things is at the core of the restaurant for us," Mark explained. "It's part of our day-to-day and it's part of our everyday conversations. When we discuss new menus or new products that we might be bringing in, it's part of those conversations all the time. "I don't think we are the best at banging our own drum about it. We don't always talk about these things to other people. So these awards are a nice reminder that we should be discussing what we do to the public. "We should be talking about it to our guests, promote the sustainability side of things and encourage other businesses to work in that way." Charmaine added: "I think sustainability in looking at the behind the scenes efforts of businesses is just crucial to our planet. "We have to look at these things. I think with regards to running a restaurant, you have to look at where your produce is coming from, what time of year you're buying certain ingredients, but it also comes down to things like the paper that we print our menus on. "It also comes down to how we treat our staff and how we support a community. I think it is integral to every single part of the business and it's important to us on a personal level". Charmaine's culinary journey began in her home city of Hereford, where she took on various front of house roles in her earlier career at restaurants including at The Clive Arms and Old Downtown Lodge in Ludlow. She then took on a role as a manager for Ludlow Food Centre, which she said opened her eyes to the world of artisanal produce, the importance of zero food miles and animal welfare. During this time, Charmaine began gardening as a hobby, a passion which grew and later led to her establishing Chapters very own garden, which she now maintains almost single-handedly throughout the year. Meanwhile, Mark, who is originally from Stourbridge, forged his career as a chef within kitchens and hotels around the West Midlands before relocating to the Middle East where he worked as chef de cuisine at Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman for three years. As he explained, it was here that he began taking interest in sustainable cooking. Mark eventually moved back to the UK and became a head chef at a modern brasserie in Hereford, which is where he met his future wife Charmaine in July 2017. With a shared ambition to have a place of their own and identifying a shortfall in high quality, eco-conscious dining experiences in the area, Charmaine and Mark began looking for potential spaces. Around a 40 minute drive outside of Hereford, the couple found the perfect place - the old meeting room of St John's Chapel in Hay-on-Wye, said to be one of the oldest buildings in the Powys town. "It was just perfect," Mark recalled. "It was once the meeting room for the chapel, but it's been many things over the years. It's been a school, a jail, a butcher's." He continued: "The space that we had, it was just the right size to do the food at a good standard." Chapters was officially opened in July 2019. According to the couple, the community have been kind to them over the years. By now, the couple live in Hay-on-Wye. "There was a lovely restaurant here before us," Charmaine explained. "And so people would come to us and tell us, 'you've got big shoes to fill', when we were setting up. "But everyone was very positive and delightful. In Hay-on-Wye, I'd say that 99% of the businesses are run by independents. "So there's a real different feel to it. And I think we were accepted quite quickly because we wanted to support the town and because we were using suppliers and tradespeople that were local. "Everyone started coming in quite quickly after that I think. It wasn't long before COVID happened and then we had to switch our business model to serving takeaways. "That worked quite nicely because it meant that we were able to carry on and we were accessible to a lot more people, which again, I think just helped with people's attitudes towards us. "I think we were accepted quite quickly and now I think we're well supported by the people of the town. I think we kind of fit in with the feel and the ethos of the town as well." By now, Chapters has been going for nearly six years, with three chefs in the kitchen, including Mark, a kitchen porter and Charmaine as the front of house. This time of year, guests can dine on wild venison dolmades, middle white pork loin with braised leeks from the garden, dark chocolate delice or Caws Cenarth with quince and seeded crackers for dessert. In its review of Chapters, 360°Eat Guide said: "It's not just the seasonal, varied menu that makes you want to return to Chapters, it's something about the approach and the sharing of knowledge that makes you crave more of the good." Meanwhile, back in 2022, the Michelin Guide spoke of the "whole team's passion for their way of working makes the place even more endearing". When asked how they felt about receiving such accolades, Charmaine replied: "It just fills you with pride and it makes you so happy to come to work every day." She continued: "We're really proud of what we're doing at the moment. It's the kind of restaurant that we'd like to come and eat in and we are really happy with how things are going."
