Where do top chefs go for a creative reset? This leafy resort in Karuizawa, Japan

It’s not every day you see five top chefs crouched down on the ground picking carrots and biting into wasabina (Japanese mustard greens) in an organic farm in Japan. That was exactly the scene at Duca Farm in Karuizawa — chefs Mingoo Kang of Mingles in Korea, Julien Royer of Odette in Singapore, Vaughan Mabee of Amisfield in New Zealand, Joris Rousseau of Feuille in Hong Kong and Stephan Duhesme of Metiz in the Philippines were like kids in a candy shop, roaming around tasting, laughing, and dreaming up flavour combinations.

This band of award-winning chefs and their families were invited to Karuizawa, an upscale mountainous resort town in Nagano Prefecture, just an hour away from Tokyo. The reason? Simply to stop and smell the flowers, or in their case, fresh herbs. Between the frenetic pace of leading a kitchen, attending high-octane events like the recently concluded Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards, and maintaining an ever-important online presence, the life of a modern chef doesn’t stop. This four-day retreat was an antidote to all of that.

“I think it’s very important to get out of your environment to think and create again,” said Huy Hoang, the affable founder of Shishi-Iwa House who cooked up the idea of a chef’s retreat. Inspired by a New York Times article where chefs gathered to make bread and exchange ideas, he thought of bringing culinary artists together with no agenda other than to have them experience Karuizawa, a destination he fell in love with in 2015.

A CREATIVE COCOON

Set at the altitude of 1,000m, Karuizawa has long been a backdrop to creative pauses, most notably by John Lennon, who spent four summer vacations in the late 1970s with his family. As the official summer residence of the Imperial family, it’s well-known across Japan for its cooler climate, onsen-filled landscape, and gorgeous scenery that shines in autumn when the spectacle of koyo (the changing colours of leaves) unfolds.

For Hoang, discovering Karuizawa's impressive art and architecture pedigree was the cherry on top. It became the perfect location for Shishi-iwa House (styled as SSH) — a collection of three intimate houses that aim to connect humans with nature through architecture.

Shishi-Iwa House isn’t your typical boutique hotel. The first two houses were designed by the acclaimed Shigeru Ban, while the latest addition was by the visionary Ryue Nishizawa, both Pritzker Prize-winning architects. Each house has a distinct character: SSH 1 is defined by a sinuous curvature surprisingly crafted from prefabricated wood; SSH 2 is anchored by a treehouse-inspired common area built without pillars or visible columns; SSH 3 puts a spin on the ryokan with a striking shou sugi ban facade and interiors clad in hinoki wood from floor to ceiling — the first building in Japan to do so.

Hoang tapped these masters “to promote architecture to 99 per cent of people”, and it’s indeed a treat to stay the night in these starchitect-designed dwellings. While beautiful spaces are nothing new for these stellar chefs, there's something about the panoramic windows that draw your eye outdoors, the conceptual furnishings crafted from paper tubes, and the blue-chip art inconspicuously peppered across the houses that ignite a curious spark. “One of the best moments was the chance to tour the houses with Huy, and learn about the design vision and the meaning behind the beauty of this place,” said Royer.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

No gathering is complete without food, especially when chefs are involved. A melting pot of historic eateries, fine dining restaurants and fledgeling wineries, Karuizawa has plenty to bring to the table. Its culinary excellence stems from its location — set at the foot of Mount Asama, it has incredibly fertile volcanic soil and an altitude ideal for farming.

This comes to the fore at Shola, the restaurant at Shishi-Iwa House, helmed by chef Masashi Okamoto. Guided by an ethos that champions the local and artisanal, the modern Japanese menu served at the welcome dinner was a sensual introduction to the region. For Mabee, who was in Japan for the first time, everything was a revelation — especially the deer tongue with sherry and paprika. For Duhesme, who once staged with a family of sushi chefs, the mushroom with koshihikari rice and egg yolk was a highlight.

The following days were a veritable moveable feast. There was a taste of tradition at Kagimotoya, a 200-year-old soba restaurant that offers handmade noodles, a specialty of Nagano. There was also an indulgent kaiseki meal at Kuroiwa Muni, a small restaurant anchored by a sculptural counter set across picture windows that ingeniously frame the trees outside. A succession of artistic plates arrived — intricately crafted hassun, umami-filled matsutake mushrooms, superbly grilled unagi. All in all, it was a tasting course that reflected the riches of the region and seasonality so prized in Japan.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

The itinerary included hands-on activities that brought the chefs outside — the best place to truly get to know Karuizawa. It began with a natural immersion: A light morning hike at Sengataki Waterfalls. Upon reaching the gorgeous falls, everyone whipped out camera phones to take lovely couple shots and a family portrait of Mingoo Kang, who travelled with his wife and two cute children.

There were also two farm visits, first to Asama Farm, where the aimable farmer explained how he uses his magic to naturally transform the soil to cultivate what he wants. This was followed by a few hours at Duca Farm, where lead farmer Iizuka Yusuke, dressed in a white outfit and a straw hat with a firefly pinned on it, showed the chefs the 100 varieties of vegetables he grows in the organic farm.

One afternoon consisted of a failed attempt to forage wild mushrooms in the forest near Mount Asama. The hunt began semi-competitively and then descended into a hilarious version of hide-and-seek. The stimulation and physical exertion made the dip in the sleek bathhouse at SSH 3 and the nearby Sengataki Onsen all the more relaxing.

KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL

Even as guests, it can be hard for chefs to fully detach themselves from the kitchen. So after forest bathing, farm hopping and feasting, they were ready to cook a family-style meal. Hoang and the team at Shishi-Iwa House prepared a Masterchef-worthy tableau of ingredients ranging from the highest-grade local miso to Shinshu wagyu as well as the produce they had picked themselves during the farm visits.

The chefs convened for an hour, drawing plating and discussing the menu to serve their families and a small number of guests, which included acclaimed chef Daniel Calvert of Sezanne, who travelled from Tokyo to join the evening’s festivities.

When the chefs began service, the humble Shola kitchen suddenly had nine Michelin stars, three hats and countless more accolades. They cooked together in harmony — tasting each other’s food, brainstorming on plating, and choosing the playlist, which for Rosseau meant playing the Scottish national anthem, Flower of Scotland, to anyone willing to listen.

As dinner time rolled around, the chefs laid out their creative snacks: Daikon kimchi using local turnip, a layered botan shrimp with umeboshi, artistically styled ayu with burnt yuzu, and a tantalising plate of broccoli, rocket and pear.

This was followed by a novel take on Singaporean chicken rice accompanied by roasted carrots, fresh salad and bibimbap, served family style. Then came the divine wagyu paired with miso — a plate that went very well with the bottle of 1999 Chateau Margaux that Hoang generously poured.

The soulful meal was punctuated by a refreshing dessert of fromage blanc, grape and acacia honey as well as a finale of chocolate with chestnut and sansho. The evening didn’t end there: An impromptu tasting of Amisfield wine in the grand room of SSH 1 capped the memorable meal.

Over delicious hojicha lattes the following morning, the chefs who were mere acquaintances days ago acted like lifelong friends. That’s par for the course when you’re in the company of like-minded people and given the freedom to discover, experiment and create without pressure. So strong were the bonds formed that a few months later, Royer and Mabee collaborated on a ‘Taste of Otago’ four-hands event at Odette. “The best thing about this trip was friendship. We deepened the ones we already had and created new ones with the people we met there,” said Royer.