The Japanese restaurant Megu at The Alpina Gstaad hotel presents its new Head Chef: Cristian Asato is settling in Gstaad and bringing his long experience of Japanese gastronomy, his passion for fusion cuisine and a good dose of creativity.
The Japanese restaurant Megu, with 15 GaultMillau points, offers authentic and surprising Japanese cuisine, which has already earned it the title of best Asian restaurant in Switzerland. Cristian Asato is now at the helm to perpetuate the culinary heritage of this exceptional establishment.
Cristian Asato, who has dual Peruvian and Japanese nationality, took over from Tetsujiro Ogata. In his luggage, we find the refinement of classic Japanese cuisine with a touch of modernity and a penchant for Japanese fusion cuisine.
When tradition and modernity meet
"My cuisine is made from fresh ingredients and offers a modern interpretation of traditional Japanese cuisine", explains the 34-year-old Chef. His creativity is reflected in his signature dishes: sea urchin and crispy nori tempura, hamachi kama (grilled flounder), cold soba noodles with sesame or half lobster tail and its Japanese pepper and yuzu sauce feature prominently on the menu. .
The Megu menu retains its emblematic dishes and is enriched with the creations of the new Chef. These are inspired by his rich and varied culinary journey: from his native Peru, his career has taken him to luxury establishments in Japan and Hong Kong.
Japanese culinary culture and Mediterranean inspiration
During his professional career, Cristian Asato was able to familiarize himself with the culinary culture of Japan, its traditional cuisine and its various techniques: Nikkei cuisine on the one hand, a unique blend of Japanese and South American cuisine, the Washoku, which favors natural and local ingredients such as rice, fish, vegetables and edible wild plants and which is based on traditional techniques for preparing and presenting dishes, or even Hokkaido cuisine, one of which typical dishes is a broth made from seaweed with an umami flavor.
Cristian Asato also made a detour through Spanish gastronomy. After working as a Chef in a Spanish restaurant in Tokyo, he joined the kitchens of a Japanese restaurant in Barcelona. Most recently, Asato served as sous-chef at The Aubrey Madarin Oriental in Hong Kong, where he served fine Japanese cuisine.
The culinary art of Japan at its peak
It is now in our regions that the talent of Cristian Asato is expressed. Inspired by Swiss specialities, he is keen to integrate them into his cooking: "My objective, which also represents a challenge, is to offer Japanese dishes made with local products, for example milk or cheese from the region".
He is supported in his task by sushi master Tsutomu Kugota. Together, they elevate Japanese cuisine to the rank of art. A blessing for customers and gourmets, in the true sense of the term since Megu means “blessing” in Japanese.
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