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Photo: Zeniya Singapore
While other international chefs may not prioritise waters in their culinary pursuits, Japanese chefs, renowned for their unwavering commitment to detail and quality, are exclusively promoting their expertise in utilising pristine spring waters as a vital ingredient in their cuisine.
In this respect, Shinichiro Takagi, chef-owner and executive chef of Zeniya Singapore, is setting himself apart with his unique approach to crafting and customising his own water to complement his culinary vision.
“Whether it’s Singapore, Cape Town, or the United States, I always travel with my team of water engineers for pop-ups or cookouts overseas,” he says.
The summer menu currently features a number of speciality seafood, including kegani (horsehair crab), which is delicately blanched and complemented by a vinegar-dashi jelly in the sakizuki course. (Photo: Zeniya Singapore)
While he upholds tradition and follows the shun no ri principle — using ingredients at their peak to create a sequence of seasonal dishes that pay homage to the legacy of Kaga cuisine — water is at the forefront of Zeniya’s innovative expressions.
In a Wanmori course, served in a 50-year-old gold lacquered bowl that is inherited from Zeniya Kanazawa, a clear soup holds the space for hamo from Awaji Island. It’s expertly prepared using the honegiri bone-cutting technique — to shine.
While many would focus on the hamo, and rightfully so, the true star of this broth is the water, which mimics the mineral composition of Kanazawa water. The water is sourced from Zeniya’s well at home — a distinctive ingredient that can not be found elsewhere.
“Unfortunately, not so many people think water is so important,” Takagi remarks in a self-deprecating tone.
Wanmori, featuring hamo from Awaji Island in a clear soup. (Photo: Zeniya Singapore)
Not all water is created equal
Compared to 27 other countries, Japanese water generally shows low mineral content. Within Japan, water hardness, primarily influenced by dissolved calcium and magnesium ions, varies greatly across regions due to geological formations and mineral concentrations.
Starting from Hokkaido in the north, water tends to register lower on the hardness scale, likely due to the region’s granite bedrock and low mineral content.
In Kanazawa, situated in the Hokuriku region, water is enriched with calcium and iron and is harder than in Kyoto yet softer overall than in Tokyo. These differences directly influence the selection and treatment of ingredients, thus impacting cuisine significantly.
Main dining room, Zeniya Singapore. (Photo: Zeniya Singapore)
Takagi’s exposure and expertise with waters was built up over a decade of travelling worldwide. As invitations to cook at events and pop-ups abroad streamed in, so did his fervour for advocating Japanese cuisine and culture globally.
“Gradually, I started to think that I should not be importing all ingredients from Japan, including water,” he adds. “Instead, I saw my duty and mission to discover the ideal water that matches well with Japanese ingredients, to create the finest Japanese cuisine outside of Japan.”
Role of dashi in Japanese cuisine
Zeniya Kanazawa. (Photo: Zeniya Kanazawa)
In the intricate tapestry of kaiseki dining, every element is curated with utmost care and intention to evoke seasonality, harmony, and balance.
“Kaiseki is based on dashi; this is the most fundamental,” Takagi emphasises.
Whether as a broth for soups or a base for simmered dishes, the versatile dashi quietly guides each plated course in kaiseki cuisine by faithfully extending its influence to transform a dish, lending depth and complexity to it and orchestrating flavours with its umami-rich profile.
It appears all the more profound when you know that this delicate broth is mainly made with kombu (dried kelp), katsuobushi (bonito flakes), and water.
Travelling with water engineers and water treatment machines
Chef Shinichiro Takagi’s water engineers at work, testing the mineral content in waters during an overseas cook-out. (Photo: Zeniya)
“In our restaurant in Kanazawa, we have a well that is about 120m deep and has been in use for almost 50 years. The spring water has gone through a 100-year filtration process. This is the best ingredient,” Takagi says with deep appreciation.
To incorporate this ingredient into his global cookouts would have been impossible if he had not connected with his water engineers through mutual friends and a shared passion for water.
Over time, discussions led to the development of custom-designed water treatment machines capable of adjusting water mineral content. Each time Takagi travels to cook, the water engineers tag along to analyse, treat, refine, and elevate local waters to Kanazawa standards.
In Singapore, Zeniya’s state-of-the-art water machine runs on the latest software and makes water that replicates the mineral levels of Kanazawa water. This water, crafted with precise mineral content, is then transformed into exquisite dashi, forming the cornerstone of the kaiseki cuisine served at Zeniya Singapore.
Kyoto’s soft water
In addition to overseeing Zeniya in Kanazawa and Singapore, Takagi, who is also the executive chef at Taka-an, a Japanese restaurant in Aman Kyoto, regularly visits Kyoto.
Harnessing his profound knowledge of Kyoto’s soft waters, he skillfully prepares kaiseki cuisine featuring strictly seasonal ingredients from the region, including Kyoyasai vegetables and Kyoto beef.
Unbeknownst to many, Kyoto’s soft and yielding water has played a pivotal role in preserving its rich culinary heritage and cementing and guaranteeing its status as a gastronomic centre.
Soft water enhances the purity of Kyoto’s seasonal ingredients, allowing natural flavours to shine without being overshadowed by strong mineral notes. It is also important in safeguarding cherished traditional culinary practices.
This includes the myriad delicate cooking techniques evident in Kyo-ryori, which enhance the inherent flavours and textures of ingredients.
Chef Shinichiro Takagi creates gastronomic art here at Taka-An in Aman Kyoto. (Photo: Aman Kyoto)
One of the most influential chefs in Japan
For the past 15 years, Takagi has devoted himself to bridging Japanese cuisine and culture with the global community. Today, he stands as one of Japan’s most influential chefs, setting himself apart in Japan with the international exposure he has amassed through his active participation in chef pop-ups and guest-chefing events worldwide.
In addition to appearing at prestigious international venues like The Napa Valley Reserve and the Hong Kong International Film Festival to spotlight Japanese cuisine and culture, Takagi has been active in food-focused exchanges and events such as Slow Food Italy and the Worlds of Flavour International Conference and Festival hosted by The Culinary Institute of America.
Participating in global events of such magnitude has not only fostered numerous valuable collaborations but also enabled Takagi to cultivate friendships with distinguished chefs such as Alain Ducasse, Michel Troisgros, Eric Ripert, and René Redzepi. This network of relationships has attracted renowned chefs from across the globe to visit Zeniya and Kanazawa, eager to savour his two-star cuisine.
Engaging with international guests regularly has also deepened his understanding of modern diners’ preferences, these experiences were important in helping Zeniya’s cuisine evolve.
“I like to make food simple so that diners know what they are having at first look,” he explains.
Just last year, he made 24 trips overseas for food-related engagements of all sorts. You can likely spot him in restaurants across the world, from Canada, the United States, and South Africa to Indonesia and Australia, on land or at sea aboard cruises.
For all of his contributions, Takagi was honoured as a Master Chef at the sixth annual Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries of Japan Culinary Awards in 2015. Two years later, in 2017, the same ministry appointed him a Japanese cuisine goodwill ambassador.
He distinguishes himself further with his unique background of studying in the United States and is a rarity on the global gastronomic scene, as only a handful of Japanese chefs are fluent in English.
The history enthusiast had gone the extra mile to study English as a 16-year-old exchange student in New York in the 80s. That single year living in the States as a teenager revealed to him the transformative power of learning a new language, opening up an entirely new world.
Looking back, Takagi believes fate has a hand in him entering the kitchen at the age of 24.
Shinichiro Takagi serves a highly personalised menu at Zeniya. (Photo: Zeniya Kanazawa)
When his father passed away, his father’s best friend secured an internship for him to learn cooking at Kitcho.
“I didn’t say no even if I didn’t say yes,” he recalls.
When he finally attended an interview at Kitcho, he was rejected. Not once but thrice.
“That’s Kyoto. I was supposed to go back and say please, but I didn’t.” Takagi explains.
In the following days, Kitcho received multiple calls from the chairpersons of Asahi Distillery, Kikkoman, and JR West, all vouching for Takagi to enter through its doors.
And when he did, two years was all it took for him to refine his innate talent into professional culinary expertise. He counts himself extremely blessed to have met chef Koji Tokuoka, the second-generation owner of Kyoto Kitcho, who was credited with expanding Kitcho restaurants into new locations.
Kitcho, I do not have to learn Kitcho’s cuisine. Instead, he pointed out that I should learn the cuisine of Zeniya. To do that, I have to be in Kanazawa.”
Takagi has not looked back since. The 53-year-old chef says, “Sometimes in a month, I travel three times, but I can still do more. This is something not many other Japanese chefs do, but I am eager to.”
“In my travels, I have seen a lot of ramen, teppanyaki, and sushi restaurants, but few offer high-quality kaiseki. In my opinion, the time has come for kaiseki to shine.”
Zeniya Singapore now serves an Express Executive Set Lunch at $88++ to cater to business professionals and travellers. The introductory $188++ menu is available during lunch or dinner. For a proper kaiseki experience, opt for the $288++ (9 to 10 courses), $388++ (11 to 13 courses), and $488++ (11 to 13 courses, during chef Takagi’s visits) menus.
