Here’s something to look forward to in a year rife with bad news: the opening of a new restaurant by two of Tokyo’s best chefs. Called Denkushiflori, the venture is the brainchild of Zaiyu Hasegawa of Den and Hiroyasu Kawata of Florilège, whose restaurants are No. 3 and No.7 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2020 respectively. Not only that, each venue also has two Michelin stars, which is no mean feat in Tokyo.
The meeting of the two creative minds is set to open in Omotesando in October this year. At Den, Hasegawa is known for his quirky, playful take on Japan's traditional kaiseki cuisine, while Kawata turns out genre-bending dishes using Japanese ingredients and French techniques at Florilège. The menu at Denkushiflori is yet to be revealed, but the two have confirmed the venue will showcase a mix of their cooking styles, with a focus on using seasonal ingredients in novel ways.
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‘While the two of us were fishing at night, we came up with the dishes and concept,’ says Kawata on Instagram.
The layout of the restaurant is planned to take a shape similar to Florilège, where diners sit around an open kitchen and can watch the chefs in action. The kitchen will be decked out with traditional Japanese earthenware pots and a charcoal grill, hinting at some of the ways the food may be prepared.
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The two chefs have more than accolades in common: they’re the same age, opened their restaurants at about the same time, and have been weathering the global pandemic together. But rather than retreat from the scene, Hasegawa and Kawata say they are driven to bring some joy to the community and remind people of the special role local restaurants play in our lives.
Exact opening dates and reservation details are yet to be announced, so stay tuned for updates.
Read our guide on how to go out safely in Tokyo here.
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