It always feels special taking the elevator up to the Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, and even more so as you disembark on the 37th floor. That opulent bar; that view across the city, with Mount Fuji on the horizon; that sense of having left behind the mundane, quotidian world far below.
Now there's another reason to make that ride. Signature, the hotel's flagship French restaurant, is undergoing a radical makeover. Not that you'll notice immediately; the dining room remains untouched. What's changed is on your plate: Signature has a new, young chef and he's shaking up the menu.
Luke Armstrong is still in his early 30s, but he's already packed a lot into his career as a cook. He arrived in Tokyo late last year from Bacchanalia in Singapore, where his accomplished modern French cuisine won a Michelin star within six months of his becoming head chef.