Nature's Champion

Yoshihiro Narisawa shares his deep love for the earth and why maintaining sustainability is mandatory in the world of gastronomy.

- Eve Tedja

On one of the coldest days of winter, Yoshihiro Narisawa recalled visiting a snow covered barren field in Nagano Prefecture. He was accompanied by a farmer who dug below the snow and showed him the soil where his chemical-free vegetables were planted. The soil has to be pristine and healthy for the vegetables to grow, the farmer told him. “I was wondering how can I convey this sense of purity and nature to my diners,” says Narisawa. This encounter prompted him to create the celebrated Soil Soup in 2001. It is one of Narisawa’s avant-garde signature dishes, where chopped burdock root and soil are fried together, brought to a boil and simmered before they are strained. It is a tribute to terroir and epitomises the concept of his innovative Satoyama cuisine aptly.

Yoshihiro Narisawa, who comes from a lineage of chefs, grew up by the ocean, surrounded by the mountains on the Chita Peninsula in Aichi Prefecture. Like many other top Japanese chefs, he first perfected his skills at venerated European kitchens. Having trained under Paul Bocuse, Joël Robuchon, Frédy Girardet, and Ezio Santin, he headed back to Japan at the age of 26. By 2003, he had opened Les Créations de Narisawa in Tokyo, which was eventually renamed as Narisawa. He coined his cuisine as innovative Satoyama as a way to pay homage to his homeland where the forest, mountain and people coexist in harmony.

Located in the quiet and sophisticated neighbourhood of Minami-Aoyama, the restaurant is minimalist in decor and almost monochrome in colour. Guests are treated to a seasonal 15-course tasting menu, paired with the finest Japanese wines and sakes. For a few hours, they get connected to nature through a parade of visually stunning dishes, such as Satoyama Scenery and Water Salad. Almost all the produce are Japanese by origin and crafted to express their roots, telling a captivating story about the land, history, farmers, fishermen and culture.