Dedicated foodie photographers might find it hard to restrain themselves, but Asperges Hanazono’s master chef Hiroshi Nakamichi would prefer you didn’t take pictures of his exquisitely presented masterpieces. The charismatic Michelin three-starred chef wants his guests to concentrate while they’re dining.
“Recently everyone wants to take a photo of their food,” Nakamichi-san says. “But when they do that, it mean’s they’re not concentrating on their meal. The best way to eat is to watch and listen to the waiter, smell the food as it’s served and as you taste it, then close your eyes and think intensely about every mouthful.”
With this in mind, Asperges is better approached as a considered gastronomic experience rather than a convivial social occasion. Asperges aims to create a complete dining experience from the moment the guest walks in the door. Throughout, the diner is treated to a sensory extravaganza that aims to appeal to the eyes, the nose, and the ear almost as much as the taste buds.
How is this achieved? At Asperges, dishes aren’t simply plated up in the kitchen and placed in front of the diner. Each course is presented as an element of theatre with diner participation.
For example the salad, made up of 20 locally grown vegetables, doesn’t come predressed. The different elements of the dish are spread across the plate and the waiter invites the guest to mix them together, combining the flavours and creating a connection between diner and dish, and adding a level of appreciation as to what has gone into its preparation.
TEXT: KRISTIAN LUND
PHOTOS: ASPERGES
APPEARS IN: POWDERLIFE WINTER 2017 EDITION
HIROSHI NAKAMICHI
HEAD CHEF, ASPERGES
Born in Noboribetsu, Hokkaido in 1951, acclaimed chef Hiroshi Nakamichi’s flagship restaurant Moliere in Sapporo was awarded three Michelin stars, while Asperges in Biei garnered one star in 2012 in the special edition of the Hokkaido Michelin Red Guide. At Restaurant Asperges Hanazono, Chef Nakamichi’s lunch and dinner menus are specially designed using the freshest Hokkaido produce.
When the striking, jet-black Hokkaido abalone with squid ink is served, the waiter spoons the accompanying squid ink risotto from a rustic old iron pot onto the plate, inviting the diner to pause, consider, and appreciate the unique visual feast. During another course, a large warmed stone placed in front of the diner doubles as a plate for a small fillet of woodfired smoked herring.
The idea, Nakamichi-san says, is to involve the diner with their meal in an age when eating is more about convenience than appreciation. He lived in Lyon in France for three years while he was in his 20s to train and absorb its culinary ambience and often refers back to a time when large families would sit around a table and mother or grandmother would serve the seated diners.
Nakamichi-san describes his style as Hokkaido French, different from a version that might be eaten in Tokyo or elsewhere. It’s a traditional, home style of French rather than a modern stylised version, with a particular focus on local seasonal ingredients. In summer Asperges operates out of the central Hokkaido town of Biei, so a visit there at the height of the green season for an entirely different menu is strongly recommended.
One new dish this year is caviar served on a clever Hokkaido variety of onion that doesn’t cause tears when it’s sliced. Nakamichi-san fobs off the idea that seafood shouldn’t be eaten in the mountains. With such wonderful seafood available from nearby ports he thinks it’s a fantastic idea.
Asperges is in its fourth year in Niseko, located in one of the two base buildings at the Hanazono ski resort and is open for lunch and dinner. It’s the first time Nakamichi-san has designed a restaurant in such a unique location. He loved the idea of eating oysters and drinking champagne at lunch while watching kids skiing and playing outside.
It’s also the first time he has worked for an almost entirely foreign audience. Nakamichi-san is a shokunin – a Japanese word describing a specialist in a trade or art who is dedicated to perfection. One of the reasons he chose Hanazono is that he wanted to work with an audience who might be more demanding of him. He wants discerning customers who will challenge his expertise so he can aspire to improve. A delicious challenge indeed!
Niseko French Restaurant Recommendations:
01 KAMIMURA
Michelin-starred under Hokkaido-born chef Yuichi Kamimura, Hirafu’s flagship restaurant is a must-try experience for those wanting to experience the taste of Hokkaido. 6-course and 9-course degustation menus available.
www.kamimura-niseko.com
02 MACCARINA
Based in nearby farming village Makkari, this is another restaurant presided over by Hiroshi Nakamichi, and also with a Michelin star. In the vein of Asperges but with local ingredients of the village.
www.maccarina.co.jp
03 LE COCHON
Another Lyon-trained chef, Kazuhiko Kojima, heads up this warm and wonderful restaurant, born in nearby Kutchan town and now located in the heart of Upper Hirafu Village.
www.lecohon-niseko.com
04 CHEZ DOU DOU
A largely undiscovered secret with a staff roster of one, Chez Dou Dou is grass roots Niseko dining at its finest. Be among the first to try Chef Akiyo Itou’s unbelievably good homestyle French before it goes mainstream.
353-3 Yunosato, Rankoshi-cho | 0136-55-8332