The co-founder and executive chef of Ando in Hong Kong, who honed his culinary style in Tokyo, shares some of favourite places to eat and drink in Japan’s capital
Agustin Balbi wanted to do something different. And that’s what saw him land up in Japan, despite knowing little about the nation at the time. “What drove me to pursue a career in culinary arts in Japan was my curiosity and drive to learn how to work with seafood and my desire not to follow the usual route to Europe for culinary training,” says the chef, who hails from Argentina.
Armed with experience garnered in Buenos Aires and New Orleans, it was Japan that challenged him professionally.
“The culture in Japan was very different from Argentinian culture, which was something I had to adapt to. The real challenge started when I was learning from top masters and had to summon the stamina to work extremely long hours and develop skills through endless repetition. It wasn't a fun experience at the time as the work was gruelling; however, I learned an immense amount and the mental strength I developed was remarkable. I loved being surrounded by such dedicated and talented people, as they spurred me on to raise my standards to the next level,” says Balbi, who worked at some of the capital’s leading establishments, including Basque restaurant Zurriola, Japanese fine dining hotspot Nihonryori Ryugin and now-closed French restaurant Cuisine[s] Michel Troisgros during his time in Tokyo, before moving to Hong Kong in 2016 to take the helm at contemporary Japanese restaurant Haku and then to open Ando.
“My time in Tokyo had a tremendous impact on me, partly because I went into the situation wanting to learn everything I could. I threw myself in 100%, not only with the cuisine but I also wanted to learn as much as I could about the culture of eating and study the history of eating and how it has evolved over time. I spent all of my salary at restaurants to help me understand flavour combinations. I knew that the only way to perfect my craft was to practise, so I practised until the techniques became muscle memory. My experiences all together have created what Ando is today, in part a reflection of my time in Tokyo combined with my own cultural background.”
Balbi’s affinity for Japan extends outside the kitchen too, as it’s where he met his wife. As such, he retains a strong connection with the country, visiting often in normal times and ensuring his children are exposed to the Japanese culture that is part of their heritage.
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