Guests dining at two-Michelin-starred Den in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward on Dec. 3 last year, perhaps expecting the restaurant's typical, modern kaiseki multicourse, instead encountered an unfamiliar scene.

Bright green palm leaves, anchored by a centerpiece of two large coconuts, covered the long, communal table, and the staff greeted diners with a cheerful chorus of "sawadee!" ("hello" in Thai). For this single night, chef Zaiyu Hasegawa prepared a menu of Thai-fusion dishes as part of The Grand Gelinaz! Shuffle: 2019 Stay In Tour event, a giant recipe swap spanning 38 countries and featuring 148 chefs.

Tropical sushi: Aori-ika squid accented with coconut, paired with 2008 Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque Champagne | KEN SHIKURA
Tropical sushi: Aori-ika squid accented with coconut, paired with 2008 Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque Champagne | KEN SHIKURA