Chefs Daniel Yap and Haruka Hokune take inspiration from each other's cuisine specialties for two unique dishes
Tatler Dining Malaysia's Off Menu Kuala Lumpur 2022 will see 12 of the country's top chefs gather under one roof to present diners with dishes never before seen, and won't ever see again after this.
Related: Off Menu Kuala Lumpur 2022: Feed Your Curiosity at Tatler Dining's Annual Food Festival
Among them are Daniel Yap, chef-owner of Gooddam, and Haruka Hokune of Sushi Azabu, who have teamed up to curate two dishes: miso beef agnolotti from yap and Italian saba [mackerel] roll from Hokune. Each is inspired to introduce an element of the other's specialty cuisine [Yap's northern Italian and Hokune's Japanese background] to push their creativity further.
The chefs
One of Malaysia's Top 20 Restaurants in 2022, Gooddam is known for its modern take on northern Italian dishes such as an uni calamarata and a smoked sole fish crudo. Sushi Azabu's Hokune is one of Malaysia's only two female sushi chefs who has been delighting diners with her masterfully crafted Edo-mae omakase.
Yap and Hokune spent some time observing each other in the kitchen and exchanged ideas along the way in order to produce the best results.
"Watching Chef Haruka slice and prepare her sushi has been fascinating," says Yap. "I really enjoyed working with her throughout the process. I'm already thinking of another collaboration with her after Off Menu."
Hokune feels the same way. "I really enjoyed working with Daniel. He's almost the same age as I am and he already owns his own restaurant! And yes, I would love to collaborate again with him."
Related: A Food Lover’s Guide to Osaka, Japan with Chef Haruka Hokune
