It was a very special celebration of friendships new & old, dedication to one's craft--here, a culinary one, and of fate. As you may know, Japan has some of the world's best French restaurants, due to the amazingly fresh local produce, great skills of chefs, and the delicate balance of the Japanese style and palette.
I met the very young and talented Ryoma Shida a few years ago, and am very proud of his achievements! Having trained in Paris and Tokyo, won first place in the national competition, and represented Japan in the international one in Italy, he prepared a special dish just for us when we visited him at the Michelin two star Esquisse Tokyo, where he is now working hard as a chef. the picture does not do it justice, but it is a broccoli stem ravioli topped with white truffles--elegant, refined, while packing a punch (first pic).
The other photos are of the main dish, and the main dessert (just for your information, a pre-dessert and petite fours are included in the course--and I didn't take photos of everything, cause was busy eating and chatting)!
From the bread, to the garnishes, and main feature, not a detail was missed! a big thank you to Ryoma, Chef Lionel Beccat, and everyone at Esquisse for making our lives this much more enjoyable!
It was definitely one of the best meals in our lives! After having the mind blowing dishes, I got the positive energy to work harder on my own illustrations, writing, and projects! Am truly a happy & grateful one!