Two of Japan's hottest chefs. A collaboration dreamed up during late-night fishing trips. And a remarkable menu that tethers contemporary Japanese to modern French cuisine in a style all its own. It’s fair to say Tokyo has never seen an opening quite like Denkushiflori.
Zaiyu Hasegawa and Hiroyasu Kawate need no introduction as chefs, and neither do their respective restaurants, Den and Florilege. They both have two Michelin stars, global reputations and legions of fans. So from the moment in late June they announced — via Instagram, wearing angling gear, each holding up fish they’d caught — that they were embarking on a new joint project, news spread fast.
The lack of firm details only fueled the anticipation. No address was given, just the closest subway stop, Omotesando. There were no clues as to who would actually be running it, or who the chef would be. They didn’t even let on what food they’d be serving, merely that the key concept was kushi (skewer) cuisine, and that it wasn’t a yakitori-style grill.