Zaiyu Hasegawa of Den, The Best Restaurant in Japan 2019, shares some practical tips on how to create the best possible experience for the customer – with a pinch of humour
Speaking at #50BestTalks: Vital Ingredients, presented by Miele, as part of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 award programme in Macao, chef Zaiyu Hasegawa gave an insight into what goes on behind the scenes at Den, the restaurant ranked No.3 in the recently announced list.
“There are so many restaurants in the world and each has its own characteristics and things that you cherish, but the vital ingredient of Den is people. People include our team, our customers, our suppliers and our producers,” said the Japanese chef.
Hasegawa is widely regarded as the chef that popularised the traditional style of Japanese kaiseki cuisine to an international audience by creating dishes that incorporate homely and playful touches, such as a carrot cut into the shape of a smiley face. The chef prides himself on connecting with every diner that goes to the restaurant, and says that people form the true soul of Den.
“Today I want to talk about how we connect with people. We will tell you a little bit about the moment when customers make their reservation,” said Hasegawa. Watch the video of Hasegawa’s full presentation at #50BestTalks to discover how the chef and his team strive to create moments of happiness for their clients.
Header images: Zaiyu Hasegawa and Joyeta Ng on stage at #50BestTalks: Vital Ingredients in Macao, and Den's Puchi Jr.'s-shaped cookie
Stay tuned for more videos featuring Garima Arora of Gaa, Asia's Best Pastry Chef Fabrizio Fiorani of Il Ristorante Luca Fantin and Bo Songvisava of Bo.Lan.
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