Inspired by the Japanese word kensu, “to bring together,” Mirèio at Raffles Makati recently presented a 12-course, eight-hands dinner featuring its executive chef Bèla Rieck, Manila’s Don Baldosano of Linamnam and Jorge Mendez of Modan, and Singapore’s Javier Low of Iru Den.

Other than Raffles Makati, behind the one-night-only tasting menu were Singapore Tourism Board and Asian Culinary Exchange, which our very own Angelo Comsti, a culinary mover, set up exactly in the spirit of Kensu, bringing together chefs for an exchange of ideals, ideas, and techniques.

Also brought together at the dinner were Japanese degustation and the flair of French cooking, as well as the emphasis both cuisines give to fresh, seasonal ingredients, and the vast experience with which all four chefs honed their skills.

To start, paired with Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial, Jorge prepared a chawanmushi, with amaebi or spot prawns, more popularly known as sweet shrimp, with ikura, radish tsukemono, and ebi rayu while Don served a tai tartare katsu with mud crab paste and miso.

These starters were followed by Javier’s cold wheat noodles, a signature at Iru Den, with uni and fermented wasabi and also by what Bèla called “Earth-Wind-Water,” three skewers of meats inspired by Osaka street food kushiage. These two dishes were paired with Craggy Range “Te Muna” Sauvignon Blanc.

There were four mains. Javier delivered hotate or scallop sashimi with fried fish paste, shrimp balls, seaweed, and yuzu koshō beurre blanc and Don served a cross between kakuni or Japanese pork belly and liempo with chicharon tonkotsu, both of which were paired with Château d’Esclans Whispering Angel. Bèla presented miso-glazed salmon accompanied by a ramen carbonara and Jorge served a Wagyu beef okayu or rice porridge, which both came with a glass of Cloudy Bay. 

We wrapped up the culinary showcase with Clarendelle Amberwine paired with Javier’s black glutinous rice parfait with mocha, rice wine, and tuile, Don’s sweet potato yokan with melon and milk ice, Jorge’s warabimochi with burnt kuromitsu or black sugar syrup, Hokkaido ice cream, and tofu custard, and Bèla’s matcha crème brûlée.