A symphony of flavours and textures

Next is a dish of pan-seared Normandy scallops. While Chef Elzer's love of combining French and Japanese ingredients will be well known to frequent diners at his “Yakifrenchy” restaurant Clarence, his choice of Normandy scallops over the more typically favoured Hokkaido variety is deliberate. The added bite helps to carry the complex flavours of a roasted scallion velouté. Sweet yet slightly nutty in undertone, the scallops, accompanied by confit scallop roe, are perfectly complemented by the creamy velouté, resulting in a harmonious composition of sweet, savoury and smoky flavours.

This dish is followed by salt-steamed kinmedai, served in artichoke barigoule with black truffle. The kinmedai is a beautifully delicate, sweet fish that is steamed on a bed of salt and artichoke leaves to bring out its natural flavours. The barigoule, on the other hand, strikes a balance between the rich umami of the truffle and slight acidity of the artichoke, adding depth to the dish. The course is complete with potato gnocchi and artichoke, with crackling fish scale for some playful textural contrast.