Flavours of Sichuan
Executive chef Chen Kentaro brings his unique Japanesesichuan flavours to Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro, armed with gastronomic knowledge accumulated by three generations of culinary mavericks
In 1958, Sichuan-native Chen Kenmin founded Shisen Hanten in the city of Yokohama—the first Sichuan restaurant in Japan—and was christened as the country’s “father of Sichuan cuisine”. His eldest son, Chen Kenichi, quickly earned his stripes as the “Sichuan Sage” on the television cooking show Iron Chef, going on to expand Shisen Hanten into a chain of beloved Sichuanese restaurants across Japan. Today, executive chef Chen Kentaro continues his grandfather’s and father’s legacies with Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro on the 35th floor of Hilton Singapore Orchard.
As many scions of culinary families do, Kentaro learnt his craft by observing his father’s mastery in the kitchen. He spent three years in Sichuan learning the intricacies of the cuisine before emerging to helm Shisen Hanten’s first overseas outpost in Singapore. That was in 2014; a mere two years later, Kentaro managed to snag two Michelin stars in 2016, a mantle it held for six consecutive years. With his unique brand of Sichuanese cuisine with Japanese accents, it is no surprise why Kentaro has garnered such popular acclaim.
Take, for instance, the foie gras chawanmushi with a luscious crab roe soup, a signature creation that expertly balances the intense flavours of creamy foie gras with briny crab roe in each silky, luxuriant mouthful. Equally stunning is Chen’s take on dan dan noodles, which comes in either a thick, spicy broth, or tossed in a glistening sauce. The real highlight, however, is Kentaro’s signature mapo tofu. Deceptively simple, this dish of silky tofu is swathed in a luscious meat sauce infused with the powerful spice of Sichuan peppers. Made with Pixian doubanjiang (chilli bean paste) fermented for three years, the dish’s savoury complexity is best enjoyed with a side of fluffy Hokkaido rice. Carrying the exacting touch of three generations of culinary icons, it is this dish that perhaps best encapsulates the legacy of the Chen family and their painstaking commitment to soulful, Sichuanese food.