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L'Effervescence

Tokyo

Philosophical and sustainable cuisine with whimsical flair

On the Pass

Shinobu Namae

In a nutshell: A chef, food researcher and sustainability campaigner, Shinobu Namae distils his world vision into edible bites at L’Effervescence. It’s an upscale dining experience that feeds not only the stomach – albeit deliciously – but also the mind, gently prompting diners to reflect on the environment and society.

On the menu: Only one recipe has remained a constant since L’Effervescence opened in 2010. Named Fixed Point, it consists of a Tokyo turnip, slow cooked to perfection and served with a ham brioche and parsley purée – it exemplifies the dichotomy of complexity and simplicity. Dishes often take inspiration from nature, such as Ocean (grilled amadai fish, artichoke, chrysanthemum flowers and lemon) or Underwater Forest (house made caviar, fugu roe and sasanishiki risotto). The whole experience ends with mignardises, matcha and the chef’s signature ‘World Peace’.

Award-winning factor: L’Effervescence won the inaugural Sustainable Restaurant Award in Asia in 2018, highlighting the chef’s unparalleled commitment to freshness, nature, the environment and natural resources. It then rose 29 places in the list from 2020 to 2021, earning the Highest Climber Award. Most recently in 2023, Namae was personally recognised for his pioneering work with the Icon Award.

Kitchen mentors: After completing a law degree in 1996, the chef turned his back on the bar and moved to the pass. His top-notch tutelage included five years at Michel Bras Toya Japon in Hokkaido and a year with Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck in England. He started out on his own in 2010, gaining his first Michelin star in 2011, a second in 2015 and finally a third in 2020.

Sharp extra: With the main course comes the opportunity to select a knife from an extensive selection with extravagant embossing and design.

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