'Blind dates for chefs': Kenjiro Hashida launches Savour Life dining series pairing unlikely culinary partners

Chef Kenjiro Hashida aims to inject more fun into the culinary world with his new dining series, Savour Life. Launched with event organizer Melissa Ho, the initiative acts as a "matchmaking" platform for chefs, encouraging them to collaborate across diverse backgrounds.

The inaugural event, held at Il Toro on August 13, saw Hashida, known for his sushi, team up with chef Drew Nocente for a charcoal-grilling experience. The duo created entirely new dishes, pushing their creative boundaries beyond their usual restaurant offerings. Hashida expressed a desire to explore beyond sushi, stating, "I want to explore ideas like, ‘What if we brought chefs to an island where they had only fire and water – what could they do?"

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Don’t stop challenging yourself. Sometimes, we are so used to just cooking our own cuisine in our own kitchens. I want to explore ideas like, ‘What if we brought chefs to an island where they had only fire and water – what could they do? It should be simple, but still entertaining for guests.

Future Savour Life events are planned monthly. The next collaboration, scheduled for September 14 and 15, will feature Damian D’Silva and Sho Naganuma. Hashida also revealed discussions with a "favourite bak chor mee stall" in Bedok, indicating a commitment to integrating local hawker culture into the series. This approach aims to provide unique dining experiences by bridging different culinary traditions and skill sets.

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I've done many collaborations outside of my restaurant. But, I wanted to do other things besides sushi.