Sakamoto Kei

Where They Are Now

Training in a Michelin-starred restaurant leaves its mark in the habits a chef keeps: timing, consistency, and the discipline to let flavor stay vivid without becoming loose. Sakamoto Kei’s background sits in that lane, and it shows in the way his food reads as controlled rather than decorated. The work suggests a palate shaped by repetition and a standard where each detail has to hold up under scrutiny, with simplicity used as a tool rather than an absence of thought.

Career - Executive Chef, Riverside Kitchen & Bar

Signature

Sakamoto Kei’s signature dishes move across sea, field and orchard without losing a clear line of intent. Wood-fired red snapper bouillabaisse brings smoke, broth and marine depth into one dish, with warmth and brightness held in the same frame. Marinated Shine Muscat grapes and nougat cream with lemon ice cream shifts to fruit and cream, finished with a cooler citrus note that keeps the palate lifted. Grilled seasonal local vegetables is about freshness and vegetal clarity, letting each ingredient remain legible while still feeling composed. Grilled local fish, clam cream sauce, pumpkin and citrus builds a richer coastal register, balancing brininess, soft squash and a sharper citrus edge. Burdock potage, Sagami beef intestines, chorizo, lotus is the darkest plate in the group, layered with earthier and more savory elements, but still organized around contrast and texture. Taken together, the dishes point to a chef working with seasonality, clean flavors and a willingness to use richness when the composition asks for it. Nothing here feels overworked. The throughline is control: ingredients chosen for how they sit against one another, and plates built to resolve with balance rather than excess.

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