CHEF ANDRE CHIANG / Picture Perfect

“I stayed in Japan for two years when I was 13. During that time, I helped out at my mum’s Taiwanese restaurant in Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture. That was how I was first exposed to the sheer variety of high-quality produce in Japan. Today, I still visit the country regularly, about four to five times a year. The unparalleled freshness of their seafood, coupled with the locals’ respect for nature and their homegrown produce, is what makes Japan’s culinary scene truly outstanding.

I was based in the south of France for a good number of years, which explains my focus on Mediterranean cuisine. My philosophy when it comes to cooking is that without good produce, you can never be a good cook. That is why most of our seafood is imported from Japan – 80 percent of which from Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo.

This dish, which has been arranged to resemble a framed photo, was something I created as part of a four-hands dinner in Tokyo two months ago. The theme was kyosei, which essentially means living and working together harmoniously. The produce I used reflects the concept in that they rely on each other for survival – there’s kelp with abalone, as well as oyster with seawater – so, naturally, they taste great together too. It’s a simple concept, and at the same time a profoundly meaningful one.”

TEXT: TAN LILI
PHOTOGRAPHY: RAYMOND TOH/VINEYARD PRODUCTION, (TOP RIGHT) EDMOND HO/JAMBU STUDIO)