"The dinner I got to enjoy was a collaboration between chef Nozomu Abe and chef Brian Lockwood (former head chef at Eleven Madison Park). The meal consisted of 15 incredible courses featuring classics from Abe and dishes that Lockwood prepared using ingredients and methods employed by Abe. Every course was a dream, but highlights included hay-smoked baby bluefin with fermented koi jalapeño sauce, rockfish with buttermilk-mussel jus and shiso blossom, and the most perfect chocolate tarte from Lockwood. I also tried grilled blowfish shirako, a.k.a. blowfish semen, which was, if not my favorite thing to eat, certainly a memorable bite! The best thing about the meal was how you could taste the craftsmanship and attention to detail that went into every single morsel. It was also such a treat to be right in front of the chefs in a gorgeous, intimate setting and to be able to ask them about their techniques and inspiration. While this dinner series was short-lived, be on the lookout because chef Lockwood is coming back for another collaboration with chef Abe this summer!" - Alexandra Domrongchai
