Japanese cuisine is one that is well-received in any part of the world. In recent years, it’s even been re-dressed in a variety of fusion styles. For a taste of authentic Japanese flavours but tweaked with a French twist, Senja at The Saujana Hotel KL is the place to be this October 15th to 18th.

Making a reappearance due to overwhelming demand is Chef Yuichi Kamimura, who is also the owner of 1 Michelin-starred French diner, KAMIMURA in Niseko, Japan. Trained by world-renowned Japanese Chef Tetsuya Wakuda, Chef Yuichi’s story is one that didn’t start out quite as one expects.

He had run away to the United States in his teens to escape the very kitchen life of his family’s restaurant, only to become an internationally recognised chef 15 years later. He even earns a Michelin star to his name on his journey and now, he is ready to share his experience with appreciators of fine food and wine this month.

Renowned for his clever use of Japanese ingredients but prepared in an unmistakably French manner, he will be making a special 4-day appearance at the hotel to walk you through a special French-Japanese degustative menu created for the occasion.

If you’re unfamiliar with that cooking style, Chef Yuichi is here to tell us a little more.

Chef Yuichi Kamimura

 

Japanese and French cuisine are very different in nature. How do you intend to fuse the two?

I do not mix the two, I just cook in both styles. I like to fuse more than just one cuisine and I’ve tried French, Italian, even Chinese. Each dish gets renewed everytime I cook because it depends on how well I like it.

 

You were trained in Australia. Where does the French influence in your cooking come from?

My French influence came from reading my fathers cookbooks as a boy. I did not grow up in a very traditional Japanese culture and I was very influenced by many other cultures. I was drawn to the way the French serve their food with their white table cloths.

 

What is the most beautiful part about fusing Eastern and Western styles of cooking?

The beauty is in the creation of something new. It is almost like a new culture. People are introduced to a whole new world of food they’ve never tasted before. I love that trying out of new tastes and flavours.

 

You left for the US when you were very young to escape the kitchen life of your family restaurant, but you ended up as a chef anyway. At what point did you realise your passion lies in food?

I think I needed the experience to realise my passion for food. Seeing what my parents did for our restaurant, I knew what it’s like working in a restaurant. But I needed that 5 years in the US to reset and rethink who I was.

I was lucky to meet Chef Tetsuya in Australia and became very good friends. He was the one who instilled in me my passion for food.

 

What are some of your favourite ingredients to use when cooking and can we expect to sample them in your menu?

I love working with seasonal meats, fish and vegetables.

 

In your own words, what can diners expect from your special menu on the 15^th to 18^th October?

I will try and make your night memorable, the same as how I do in my restaurant in Niseko. Please bring your family and good friends and I will take care of your food. All you need to do is enjoy the night.

 

 

An adventure in its very own right, Chef Yuichi will be preparing a special 4-course menu from the 15th to 18th October 2014. The newly-designed menu features highlights like roast chicken with truffle, potato and garlic chive risotto, char-grilled beef sirloin with potato puree and mushrooms and sauteed seafood withbraised vegetables in tomato. It is priced at RM188nett per person for lunch and RM250nett per person for dinner. For additional wine-pairing, the dinner menu will cost RM320nett per person. 

For more information or reservation enquiries, please call 03 - 7843 1234 or email dine@thesaujana.com. Alternatively, you can also book online here. 

 

 

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