Returning to Shanghai in the summer, my colleagues scattered across the world gathered to celebrate our company’s 10th anniversary. I wondered what could truly surprise their palates.  For the Western bistro, they chose Sage, but what about Chinese food? I wanted something unexpected, something magical that could charm even the pickiest foodies. That’s when “Oriental House” popped into my mind. The fishing season had just started in Taizhou—perfect timing for a visit.

Singapore may seem close, but the flight takes more than five hours from Shanghai.A few months ago, aside from attending the Michelin awards ceremony in Singapore, I finally had the chance to visit my old friends — and couple — Francisco and Fernanda at their Chilean restaurant Araya.I first met them when they were head chef and pastry chef at Nappa in Shanghai.

Some restaurants are destined to become legends.From Barcelona Airport, it’s about an hour and a half by car to Girona — a quiet-looking town made famous by El Celler de Can Roca, twice named The World’s Best Restaurant.

In the recently released Michelin Guide Tokyo 2026, one familiar name popped up in the list of new one-star restaurants—and I nearly jumped out of my chair in delight.

In July, I visited “Ginza Kojyu,” a two-Michelin-star kaiseki restaurant in the fiercely competitive culinary district of Ginza, Tokyo. Located on the fourth floor of a building amidst Ginza’s glittering facades, its discreet signage is easy to miss if you’re not looking closely.
When the elevator doors opened, a different world unfolded — a small garden with stone paths led me to the counter seats. Chef Toru Okuda, with his gentle demeanor and calm presence, greeted us from behind a 700-year-old hinoki cypress counter. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, he surprised us by bringing out hamo (pike conger), a prized summer fish, and began skillfully performing the traditional honegiri (bone-cutting) technique right in front of our eyes.