Located in Central fine dining precinct On Lan Street, new Japanese restaurant Nagamoto will present Hong Kong diners with an authentic Japanese “Shun” dining experience when it opens this February. At the kappo-style restaurant, the skilled culinary team, overseen by celebrated Head Chef Teruhiko Nagamoto, will reinterpret traditional Japanese cuisine with modern flair, showcasing unrivalled creativity and a shokunin, or artisan, spirit.
The “Shun” philosophy lies at the very heart of Japanese cuisine. The word is used to describe ingredients that are at the peak of their freshness and flavour, and embodies the dedication of Japanese chefs to the selection of seasonal ingredients while also reflecting the diversity of Japan’s four seasons and the geographical characteristics of the island country. At Nagamoto, guests can enjoy the very best in seasonal Japanese ingredients in a relaxed and approachable atmosphere.
Nagamoto is founded and managed by Head Chef Teruhiko Nagamoto, who has garnered nearly 30 years of experience in Japanese fine dining. At his new eponymous restaurant, Chef Nagamoto and his team will present a kappo-style experience to diners that celebrates interaction between chefs and guests; the culinary team will adjust the seasonings, ingredients, cooking time, and even the pace of serving dishes through observations and interactions with diners. Dishes will embody the “Shun” philosophy, showcasing the highest quality Japanese ingredients and incorporating the elements of four seasons of Japan throughout the evolving menu. True to the traditions of kappo-style dining, Nagamoto’s open kitchen and cooking stations will allow the chefs to demonstrate their excellent culinary skills on ‘stage’, offering guests an immersive culinary journey that will evoke each of the five senses.
The singular creative vision of Chef Nagamoto is evident throughout the dining journey. Indeed, his vision can be experienced before guests even enter the dining room, with the four-character calligraphy of ながもと (the Japanese transliteration of ‘Nagamoto’) on the signboard written by the chef himself. Chef Nagamoto’s deep knowledge of ikebana, or traditional Japanese flower arrangement, will also see him oversee the restaurant’s flower selection and design, which will align with Japan’s seasons. Chopsticks play an important role in Japanese dining culture, representing the receiving of food provided by nature — and to this end, Chef Nagamoto has hand-selected chopsticks from Japan that carry their own characteristics.
Chef Nagamoto said: “Japan’s four seasons have provided the perfect source of inspiration for me to bring my vision to Hong Kong, a city that loves Japanese cuisine. I hope that guests at Nagamoto can appreciate the beauty of the details that my team and I have worked so hard to perfect, from the intuitive service to the elegant plating of the very best seasonal ingredients.”
Born and raised in Kyoto, Chef Nagamoto has fond childhood memories of spending time in his grandmother’s Japanese dumpling shop. His passion for cooking developed at an early age, and he went on to study at the renowned Tsuji Culinary Institute. Following his graduation, Nagamoto further developed his skills at various types of restaurants throughout Japan, before going on to oversee the kitchen of a three-Michelin-starred kaiseki restaurant in Osaka and its two-Michelin-starred Hong Kong outpost. Through Nagamoto, Chef Nagamoto’s singular reimagining of tradition-steeped shun cuisine is set to further enhance the chef’s reputation as one of the most talented Japanese chefs in Hong Kong right now, while allowing Hong Kong diners to experience the beauty of Japan’s four seasons.