Other1 min read

The chef who trained his boss: A culinary legacy comes full circle at Singapore’s Shisen Hanten

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Three chefs representing distinct eras of the Shisen Hanten restaurant group will present a collaborative six-hands meal in Singapore on Nov. 6. The eight-course menu traces the evolution of pairing bold Sichuan flavors with Japanese culinary techniques. Group culinary director Hiroaki Suzuki originally trained under the brand's founder in 1982 before mentoring his current boss, Chen Kentaro. Executive sous chef Yuya Hayashi will also join the kitchen to celebrate the group's demanding culinary standards.

Key points

  • Mentorship outside strict bloodlines successfully preserved the culinary group's core phi…: Mentorship outside strict bloodlines successfully preserved the culinary group's core philosophy and exacting standards.
  • Three chefs will collaborate on an eight-course menu reflecting the restaurant's Japanese…: Three chefs will collaborate on an eight-course menu reflecting the restaurant's Japanese-Sichuan heritage.
  • The culinary legacy has expanded across three generations from Tokyo to international acc…: The culinary legacy has expanded across three generations from Tokyo to international acclaim in Singapore.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Hiroaki Suzuki trained under the founder of Japanese-Sichuan restaurant Shisen Hanten before mentoring his grandson, Chen Kentaro. Now, three generations of chefs are coming together for a special dinner in Singapore.

When chef Hiroaki Suzuki joined Shisen Hanten in Tokyo in 1982, he trained under its founder, the late Chen Kenmin, widely regarded as Japan’s “father of Sichuan cuisine”. “He never hid his cooking skills,” the 62-year-old recalled in an email interview with CNA Luxury. Today, Suzuki is the restaurant group’s culinary director in Japan, passing on what he learnt from Kenmin to younger chefs, including the founder’s grandson, Chen Kentaro.

In an interesting reversal of roles, the 46-year-old Kentaro is now Suzuki’s boss, despite having learnt his craft from the older chef. Their relationship is a reminder that in a family business, traditions need not be passed down through bloodlines alone. Long-serving employees like Suzuki can become custodians of the family’s knowledge and values, helping to preserve its legacy across generations.

Come Nov 6, diners in Singapore will have a rare opportunity to taste that legacy when Suzuki and…

Other