SÉZANNE Tokyo

A visit to a restaurant like Oryori Fujii in Toyama reminds you just how amazing Japanese counter dining experiences can be. The theater of it, the dazzling products, the thrilling mastery of techniques on display. To be a great kaiseki chef, one needs to have more than deep knowledge of ingredients and culinary chops. You have to have a knack for ikebana and an eye for beauty, along with personal charisma.

Chef Hironori Fujii is one such chef. He’s a charmer, chatting with guests as he breaks down whole snow crabs with seemingly effortless grace. The meal was a delicious lesson in crustacean anatomy, each part thoughtfully prepared with nothing wasted.

Thanks for letting us join this @sezannetokyo field trip, @chezcalvert and congrats on 🌟🌟! Less

The second half of the @sezannetokyo x @thechairmanrestauranthk collaboration was every bit as spectacular and surprising as the first.

There was sweet and sour pig’s tail with strawberries – crispy on the outside and meltingly tender on the inside. Shirako, enveloped in pasta sheets, was doused with a piquant and sweet chili sauce, flecked with bits of steamed fish head.

The Chairman’s succulent char siu was sandwiched between flaky pastry and dotted with sauces made from cress and egg yolk.

But the clay pot cooked rice was a real show-stopper. Scented with a funkadelic mix of matsutake with ganba mushrooms from Yunnan, the rice was topped with grilled unagi that had been fermented in stinky tofu brine. A genius move that infused the dish with an irresistible thrum of umami, resonating with layers of savory notes that reminded me of Cantonese salty fish. I also loved how they served it with a side of garlicky pea shoots and the crunchy rice crust.

The desserts were equally thoughtful. If my fortune cookie is right, the rest of the year will be awesome!

Thanks again @chezcalvert @acaley88 Danny and The Chairman team! Less

In my 13-plus years as a food writer, I’ve experienced more than my fair share of four-hands dinners all over the world. But the collaboration between @sezannetokyo and @thechairmanrestauranthk was a highlight.

@chezcalvert and Danny Yip are both perfectionists with an intuitive sense of harmony and balance. What makes this event particularly special is the fact that they’re such close friends. They understand each other’s food and philosophy well, and it shows.

This synergy was evident from the first bite, a gougere (reminiscent of a miniature baked bun –Chinese peeps, you know what I’m talking about) filled with silky abalone soup and served with a glass of @krugchampagne. From there, the menu unfolded like a journey through Hong Kong via not only France and Japan, but the whole universe of Calvert’s fecund culinary imagination.

A caviar-filled tartlet, covered in finely chopped amber-hued century egg and accented with ginger, arrived at the table glimmering like a jewel. Botan ebi shrimp toast was a celery-flecked mousse of the decapods encased in crispy toast points and finished with a dollop of garlic aoli (where the idea for the aioli came from, I have no idea, but it was a nice touch).

Hidden beneath a layer of clam foam shimmering like pearls, the velvet of the Koshihikari congee was studded with chunks of clam and oyster and splashed with XO sauce oil. And then the foie gras terrine, wrapped around bites of Yip’s soy sauce chicken…no words. An ideal match for the Chateau de Fargues 1979 Sauternes.

Calvert is not big on story-telling, but these first courses felt like Proustian layers of flavor memory. I can imagine these two guys sitting down to a meal of these very things after one of their long Monday hikes through the Hong Kong hills.

The star of the first half of the menu was the steamed matsubagani crab, bathed in a
creamy vin jaune sauce enriched with chicken fat. This already decadent dish was made more so by the brioche flavored with Shanghai crab roe – a crustacean collaboration of sorts.

I’ll write about the second half of the meal in another (less lengthy) post! Less

Kitchen with a view #kitchenwindow #misenplace for #chefsgathering #chefsgatheringtokyo2023 #domperignon #trunkhotel #evian #sézanne #fourseasonsmarunouchi #asias50best #theworlds50best #michelinstars #hkig #hkchef #neighborhoodhk #sakurasaku Thanks @chezcalvert for lending your kitchen! and thanks @naohawaii for organising! Less

(SWIPE FOR MORE PICS) I swear I am not a four hands junkie but when I sense interesting dynamics and potential exciting synergy between the chefs, I love to check them out.

That is the case for Sezanne by Daniel Calvert x Yamazaki 山崎 by Shiro Yamazaki san, two young chefs specialized in French fine dining and modern kaiseki respectively. I have been visiting the restaurants by both chefs often since before covid (and coincidentally my 10th times to Sezanne and Yamazaki), this collaboration became even more meaningful to see how far their cuisine could transform when the two came together.

The final rice course :
KOSHIHIKARI RICE FROM NIIGATA PREFECTURE WITH KANI-MISO AND GREEN ASPARAGUS
新潟県産コシヒカリ米 蟹みそ グリーンアスパラガス
Was one of the courses that I could feel the approaches, techniques and flavors of both chefs unified.

They first cooked koshihikari rice in asparagus dashi (made from the trims of asparagus). Then the crab meat and asparagus are sautéed with vin jaune and butter. Then they layered rice, crab miso, then the cooked crab meat and asparagus on top.

Daniel told me he wanted Yamazaki san to serve the rice in front of guests. Then he made his signature move - marinated egg yolk on rice, but this was not normal marinated egg yolk. They were cooked in “parmesan water” - using 1kg parmesan with 2L water and heated until they got separated into fat, water, and cheese. The egg yolks were cooked with this parmesan water at 65 degree for 5 mins. Yamazaki san even explained the whole process to non-Japanese-speaking guests in English 💪🏻

When everything came together, you can smell the aroma of crab miso, and taste the flavors of butter and crab, the sweetness of asparagus, and a hint of cheesy note. It was partly japanese partly french, and so moist and soft and full of flavors. It was so so good and so comforting 😌.

Daniel probably will not serve his koshihikari rice like this, and Yamazaki san probably never cooks his eggs this way. But when the two came together, they created something truly special ✨ Less

"ZUWAIGANI" FROM ISHIKAWA PREFECTURE WITH FRUIT TOMATO AND "HANA-WASABI"
加能ガニ フルーツトマト 花わさび

@[instagram] Sezanne x Yamazaki (3.12.2023)

Another highlight of the meal was this Kano crab leg. Its size was giant especially considering during the very end of crab season, even in restaurants within Ishikawa you don’t see such size often.

It was slightly marinated in tomato water overnight, covered with a light jelly of fruit tomato and with cucumber and tomato, and finished with olive oil, plus a beautiful burrata bavarois on the side.

This is a hyper seasonal dish, because in Japan zuwaigani crab (snow crab) is considered a winter ingredient while tomato a summer one. They (snow crab not other crab and tomato) almost never appear together as the season does not overlap.

And they found this very very narrow window where the snow crab season ends anh minute and tomato starting to come out. And they made this dish using the idea of crab leg shabu shabu (which Yamazaki san does in winter), and made it super light without any crab miso. There were just the very refreshing tomato water and oceanic sweetness from the leg which was so fresh in taste. It is a magical marriage of summer and winter, which is so special and rare.

I remember the burrata sauce that Daniel made for his tomato tart in the summer. It matched the dish so well as a bavarois, giving a more dynamic change in the flavors

#littlemeg_best2023

#tokyo #littlemeg_tokyo #littlemeg_sezanne #littlemeg_sezannexyamazaki #山崎 #food #foodstagram #東京 #fstokyo#フォーシーズンズ #丸の内 #crab #tomato #burrata Less

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SÉZANNE | 📍Marunouchi, Tokyo
東京・丸の内「セザン」

MIYAZAKI MANGO
with Shortbread “Crème Chantilly”
宮崎産マンゴー　ショートブレッド　クレームシャンティ

Mindblown.

One of the most creative desserts I’ve come across.
I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who’s not tried it yet so grab seats before the season’s over🥭

#sezanne #mango #mangodessert #mangoseason #sweetstagram #explorepage #fourseasonshotel #宮崎マンゴー #マンゴーデザート #フレンチ #フランス料理 #セザン #デザート #スイーツ部 Less

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SÉZANNE | 📍Marunouchi, Tokyo
東京・丸の内「セザン」

"BIZEN SHAMO” from Nagano marinated in vin jaune
長野県・美膳軍鶏　イエローワインのソース

It’s been almost a year since the success of one of the most anticipated restaurant openings in Tokyo.

It is a true delight to see the dishes evolve throughout the seasons and to watch Team Sézanne flourish.

Hoping for many more memorable meals here♥️

#sézanne #tokyo #fourseasonshotel #fourseasonsmarunouchi #marunouchi #tokyostation #frenchfood #frenchrestaurant #vinjaune #explorepage #michelin #oadtop100 #tabelog #東京グルメ #セザン #フレンチ #フランス料理 #丸の内グルメ #美膳軍鶏 #ポシェ Less

An overdue lunch to check out the new dishes turned into a long form menu as the team requested some of the classics. Overall, Daniel and his team get better and more precise. The reduction is more consequent, the flavors strong when they need to be and subtil at other times.
One new dish was the absolute highlight.
The Hotaru Ika with piperade and ajo blanco. A stalwart of Japanese cuisine in the spring season combined with a sauce which emulates a Mediterranean flavor. Pure genius. One has to try this dish to understand it. So good!
Sezanne has established itself in less than one year as one of the best, some might argue, the best French restaurant in Tokyo. Less

One star? Really?
The inspectors of the Guide Michelin must have missed something (or being just unnecessarily too cautious).

Daniel Calvert found his stride in his new home. Classics get refined, new dishes introduced. The supply chain becomes deeper and better and this shows on the plate.

Without going into a dish by dish description, just one example. The deer from Hokkaido. Luckily in Japan there is an all year season for hunting deer so the possibility of combing the deer with unusual vegetables is great. This time it was the Annou-Imo (安納芋) from Kagoshima. The protein from the north and the vegetable from the southern tip of Japan. Simply baked with a little butter it becomes an unbelievable companion to the deer. Smooth, sweet and so tasty. Combined with the slight chewiness of the deer a wonderful combination.
The front of the house clicked in with a very attentive service. The wine list is very deep and strong with restrained prices.

For me, at this point one of the best French places in town. Less

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Four Seasons Tokyo Marunouchi
SÉZANNE (セザン) の「モンブラン」🌰

見た目の美しさもさることながら
香り高いラム酒を使用した栗のムースとそれをコーティングする艶々のキャラメルが合わさって….

とにかくOMAKASEで受け取り予約できるみたいなので売り切れる前にお早めに✨

Simply an outstanding Mont Blanc.
Unlike anything I’ve had before…

#SÉZANNE #fourseasonshotel #montblanc #pickup #marunouchi #セザン #フォーシーズンズホテル丸の内 #フレンチ #モンブラン #店頭受取 #スイーツ #プレゼント #天才シェフ Less

Sezanne 1st visit — a new restaurant by chef Daniel Calvert @chezcalvert, former chef at Belon in HK. Well designed menu, the level of technique and execution was exceptional. Favorite dishes were Saba escabeche with hamaguri; Bizen Shamo chicken poached in yellow wine; and tagliatelle in truffle and Parmesan sauce. •
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#foodgasm #yum #eat #foodpic #foodpics #foodphotography #foodlover #tasty #hungry #foodblogger #dessert #foods #cooking #foodies #eating #chef #foodblog #nomnom #delicious #sezzane #frenchcuisine #tokyo #japan #フランス料理 #東京 #日本 #finedining #fourseasonshotel Less

Opening night of Sézanne.
Full house and everything worked as intended. Compared to the soft opening lunches some dishes from the truffle menu mixed in.
The oyster dishes, slightly bigger, but still wonderful taste. The shame, as always served at room temperature, has this perfectly calibrated flavor with the yellow wine sauce adding some pleasant acidity.
Chef Calvert’s food is always focused, he is restrained in using ingredients and even colors on the plate, but all dishes are amazing compositions of taste, texture and flavor. This places will become a stable of the dining scene in Tokyo. One of the must go places, if you feel like having French food. Less

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東京・丸の内「Sézanne」
2回目も至極の空間でいただくDanielのお料理に終始感動🥺✨

The “Terrine de Foie Gras” a.k.a. black truffle box, was one of the best dishes of my life.

Mind blown…

#Sézanne #fourseasons #tokyo #marunouchi #frenchrestaurant #explorepage #セザン #東京丸の内 #フォーシーズンズホテル #黒トリュフ #サワードウ #鹿肉 #宮崎マンゴー #ベルナールパコー
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2枚目: 厚岸牡蠣 コシヒカリ米 オゼイユ
　　　Akkeshi sea oyster with
　　　Koshihikari rice and wild sorrel

3枚目: フォアグラテリーヌ オーストラリア産黒トリュフ
　　　"Terrine de Foie Gras" with
Fresh Australian Black Truffle

4枚目: 沖縄県産とうもろこしのサワードウ
　　　ノルマンディーバター
　　　Okinawa corn sourdough
　　　with Normandy butter

5枚目: 白糠鹿肉 秋田県産クロスグリソース
　　　Shiranuka venison
　　　with Akita black currant sauce

6枚目: 宮崎県産マンゴー ショートブレッド クレームシャンティ
　　　Miyazaki Mango
　　　with shortbread "Crème Chantilly"

7枚目: タルト・オ・ショコラ ベルナール・パコー
　　　"Tarte aux Chocolat Bernard Pacaud" Less

Third lunch in the soft opening period. First lunch where alcohol could be served.
Again, some new dishes and some improved versions of dishes we ate already.
The Oyster dish was clearly a highlight, the rice and wild sorrel creating a wonderful texture while the oyster released umami and sea water taste. Perfectly composed and calibrated. The tagliatelle with Australian winter truffles are comfort food on the highest level. One wants to order a second portion.
The set cheese course, the aged mimolette cheese which was slightly too salty in the first lunch, is now perfectly proportioned. The karasumi adds an interesting flavor while eating but then fades into the background to leave a wonderful warm cheesy taste on the palate. This particular dish shows how Chef Calvert is open to feedback, listens carefully and tries to implement suggestions.
I think they are now ready to go. I cannot wait for the 1st July 2021 for the grand opening. Less

2nd lunch during the pre-opening phase. Some different dishes, some changed ones based on the feedback from the first lunch.
The food grass was served slightly warmer which made the texture melting and released more flavor on the palate. The shamo is a variation from a dish from Hongkong, but now a chicken from Hokkaido (Shamo is an overall designation for gamefowl in Japan. There are seven recognised breeds of Shamo chicken in Japan, all of which are designated Natural Monuments of Japan). It is served at room temperature with a wonderful sauce which one can spoon off.
Chef Calvert is one of the best bread baker around. His Okinawa sourdough bread gets served one slice at the time and always ordered on demand to make sure it comes warm. One needs to exercise maximum restraint in order not to completely stuff oneself with the most delicious bread. Less

First of series of lunches in the soon to be opened Sézanne. Chef Calvert is somebody who despite his youth is unbelievably focused and produces incredible dishes. And this despite the fact that he is working with some in his core team still stranded overseas and only able to contribute via Zoom.
Of course, as expected there were some dishes which are not yet up to his standards (this is the first week of the soft opening) but overall already a strong performance.
The dishes of the day were the Saba (of course!) and the venison from Hokkaido. This is very interesting as in Europe the game season is in the fall while in Hokkaido the hunting season is all year round. This enables Chef Calvert to pair the game with some unusual vegetables which one usually would not eat together with game. The surprise of the lunch was the dessert a simple mango dish which initially looks just like a mango but turned out to be a multilayered delicious something. Genius! Less