Michelin-starred Wild Yeast brings Hangzhou's Taizhou cuisine to Singapore

Singapore diners will have a rare opportunity to experience the nuanced flavors of Taizhou cuisine as Hangzhou's acclaimed Wild Yeast restaurant brings its unique culinary philosophy to Cassia at the Capella Hotel. The two-night event, scheduled for June 5 and 6, marks a significant collaboration aimed at defining the future of contemporary Chinese fine dining.

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very simple, its entire soul comes down to one thing, freshness.

Wild Yeast, a restaurant increasingly recognized for its innovative approach to regional Chinese cooking, is led by Chef Xu Zhiqiang. He describes Taizhou cuisine, his native style, as fundamentally centered on "freshness." The restaurant emphasizes sourcing seafood directly from small-boat fishermen, ensuring ingredients are prepared moments before evening service begins. This dedication to peak freshness is a cornerstone of their culinary identity.

Chef Xu, who trained in French cuisine, is deeply interested in terroir, seasonality, and fermentation. He highlights Taizhou's rich folk wisdom, particularly its fermentation traditions. Wild Yeast refines these practices using a "precision logic," employing controlled temperature and time for curing, marinating, and aging ingredients. This method elevates the natural umami of meats through the acidity of fermented plants.

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we source from small-boat fishers to ensure each catch is delivered fresh from the sea that day. Our kitchen waits for the 4.30pm delivery, starting to prepare the seafood only moments before the evening service begins.

During the collaboration, Chef Xu will present dishes such as Homemade Chilli Oil with Seafood and Lotus Root, and Premium Hand-picked Fish Maw with Sand Ginger. Cassia's executive Chinese chef, Ben Wong, will contribute his Cantonese expertise to creations like Black Gold Pig Trotter Aspic with Green Chilli Sauce and Pan-seared A5 Marbled Wagyu Beef with Rose Salt. The event offers a unique dialogue between two distinct yet complementary Chinese culinary traditions.

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Taizhou cuisine is rich in folk wisdom, and what inspires Wild Yeast most is its fermentation tradition. The core feature is using the natural acidity of fermented plants to elevate the umami of meats. We are refining local fermentation into a kind of precision logic, using controlled temperature and time to do curing, marinating and ageing.