Bel Étage at The St. Regis Jakarta continues its guest chef series with Taste of Hakata Bay, a three-day collaboration featuring Executive Chef Kenji Yamanaka of The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka. Running from 18 to 20 September 2026, the event turns the spotlight on the coastal flavours of Kyushu, celebrating the seafood traditions, seasonal ingredients, and refined cooking techniques that define southern Japan’s culinary identity.
Chef Yamanaka arrives in Jakarta with a culinary philosophy shaped by both Japanese heritage and classical French training. Having worked in Michelin-starred kitchens including Georges Blanc and L’Osier, he has developed a style that balances precision with restraint, allowing seasonal ingredients to remain at the centre of each dish. At The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka, his menus are known for drawing inspiration from the rich fishing culture of Hakata Bay and the wider Kyushu region.
The collaboration opens on Friday evening with Feast from the Sea, a seafood-focused dinner that explores the abundance of Japan’s coastal waters. The buffet is elevated through two signature sauces created by Chef Yamanaka: Salted Kombu and Sake Sauce, bringing delicate layers of umami to seafood, and Teriyaki Glazed with Shiso Pistou, combining sweet, savoury, and herbaceous notes. Alongside these specialities is a wider selection of Japanese-inspired dishes that showcase the flavours of Fukuoka and Kyushu.
The experience continues across the weekend with Saturday and Sunday brunch, where Chef Yamanaka presents a collection of exclusive à la minute dishes prepared to order. Highlights include Charcoal Grilled Chicken Thigh with Black Japanese Seven Spice and Tartar Sauce, Pan-Seared Scallop with Salted Kombu and Sake Sauce, Sautéed Foie Gras with Leek and Teriyaki Glaze, and Steamed Rice with Fish and Ginger, finished with ankake yuba, mitsuba, and wasabi. A tableside gueridon service featuring Roast Beef Marinated in Shiokoji with Red Miso Sesame Sauce adds another interactive element to the brunch experience.
What makes Taste of Hakata Bay particularly compelling is its focus on regional Japanese cuisine. Rather than presenting a broad overview of Japan, the collaboration offers a closer look at Fukuoka’s coastal food culture, where seafood, seasonality, and understated techniques shape everyday cooking. Chef Yamanaka’s approach brings those traditions to Jakarta without losing their sense of place.
For one weekend only, Bel Étage becomes a window into southern Japan, where the flavours of Hakata Bay meet the signature hospitality of The St. Regis Jakarta. Whether through the seafood dinner or the weekend brunch, the collaboration offers diners an opportunity to experience Kyushu’s culinary heritage through the perspective of one of Fukuoka’s leading chefs.
For more information, visit stregisjakarta.com.
