The chef-owner of Narisawa, who is in town until April 30 for his Mandala Masters culinary residency, shares how his Satoyama cuisine evolved through the years and why his culinary residency is worth the splurge
Famed Japanese restaurant Narisawa is marking its 20th anniversary this year. Chef-owner Yoshihiro Narisawa decided to welcome it by temporarily closing his restaurant in Tokyo, Japan for a much-needed refurbishment and bringing his 20-strong team to Singapore for a five-week Mandala Masters culinary residency.
It’s a much-awaited gastronomic affair for gourmands on the island, considering that the original outlet is often booked out months in advance. “I want to bring the atmosphere of Narisawa in Tokyo to Singapore,” shares Narisawa, which is why the essence of the pop-up restaurant will be the same. In order to do this, Mandala Club built a more intimate 24-seat restaurant (instead of the usual 50 seatings in the previous Mandala Masters) with an open kitchen and various touchpoints to facilitate a more intimate dining experience.
While Narisawa will be serving up his “innovative Satoyama cuisine” that revolves around sustainability, he has also taken inspiration from the island’s neighbouring countries to incorporate local ingredients in his cooking. He adds: “I will reflect the inspiration I got from the ingredients I discovered when I explored Malaysia and Indonesia previously.”
Read on to find out what to expect from his Mandala Masters culinary residency, which runs until April 30.
In case you missed it: Into The Wild: Meet Yoshihiro Narisawa, the chef behind sustainable gastronomy
How has your culinary approach evolved over the years?
Yoshihiro Narisawa (YN): Every weekend, I go to different parts of Japan in search of quality ingredients and to connect with the producers. In doing so, I learn about the environment and nature. I realised that the lifestyle and food culture cultivated by the topography and climate of Japan is not bound by any rules, and there is a way of cooking that is closely tied to the local lands. I wanted to express the food culture that is full of the wisdom of our ancestors at Narisawa, enjoyed by the people around the world.
You are known for your innovative Satoyama cuisine. How did you come up with that?
YN: The topography of Japan, where the land is mountainous and surrounded by nature, allowed our ancestors to cultivate the Satoyama culture, where they coexist with nature by understanding the environment and taking only the necessary resources for daily life. From the rich culinary culture of Satoyama, which is sustainable and beneficial to both the nature and our bodies, I pass it through the Narisawa filter and create the independent genre, which I call “innovative satoyama cuisine”
Why focus on indigenous ingredients and hyper seasonality?
YN: Responding to the four seasons, the severe changes between them, understanding this environment, and living our lives taking only the most necessary resources for daily life from the earth: this lifestyle is called Satoyama Culture. It is a sustainable lifestyle that has been cultivated over time by our ancestors, but it is not known widely. I would like the greatness of Satoyama culture to be known more.
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