New experiences: Luxury Dining Series by Marriott International 2025 series featuring 7 properties in Asia Pacific will offer a gastronomic reinterpretation of traditional flavours and forgotten ingredients.
The Luxury Group by Marriott International will once again roll out its Luxury Dining Series after last year’s success. Taking place from July to September 2025, the multi-city regional dining series continues to invite food and wine enthusiasts to embark on a gastronomic journey celebrating the revival of lost flavours and culinary traditions.
Inspired by the findings from the Future of Food 2025 report, this year’s theme of Forgotten Flavors celebrates the art of culinary history and will explore time-honoured techniques and innovative culinary experimentation at seven hotels. The locations of the 2025 series include The St. Regis Osaka, JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa, JW Marriott Bengaluru Prestige Golfshire Resort & Spa, The Ritz-Carlton, Perth, The St. Regis Singapore, The St. Regis Jakarta, and the newly opened The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok.
Renowned chefs and mixologists from across Marriott International’s global portfolio will collaborate – pairing masters of tradition with contemporary visionaries, to resurrect lost and over-looked ingredients. Here are the events to look forward to:
- Japan – July 11-13 – The St. Regis Osaka
- Korea – July 17-20 – JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa
- India – July 31- August 3 – JW Marriott Bengaluru Prestige Golfshire Resort & Spa
- Australia – August 15-17 – The Ritz-Carlton, Perth
- Singapore – August 29-31 – The St. Regis Singapore
- Indonesia – September 11-13 – The St. Regis Jakarta
- Thailand – September 25-28 – The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok
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Memories of Tokyo’s Dining Series in 2024
Last year, The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo kicked off the Marriott International Luxury Group Dining Series in September, featuring stellar feasts woven with the best ingredients sourced from Japan. The sold-out sessions at the upscale hotel in Roppongi were made possible by the brigade of passionate chefs and bartenders whose inspired creations left a lasting impression.
“Working on the Luxury Group Dining Series event gave us the opportunity to showcase the talents of our incredible chef team and introduce the amazing products from Japan that we make the effort every day to discover and bring back to our kitchens,” said Executive Chef Sandro Gamba.
Over three days, Epicure was invited to immerse in Japanese traditions through curated experiences – including a tea ceremony, Gyotaku fish printing, and the art of bonsai by the family-run Omiya Bonsai. Stunning bonsai plants (ranging from 20 to 300 years old), from the renowned Omiya Bonsai Village adorned the hotel’s Hinokizaka restaurant, which specialises in kaiseki, sushi, tempura and teppanyaki.
The meal started with seasonal tilefish in a delicate clear soup with chrysanthemum petals, followed by glistening tuna sashimi and an artful selection of sushi. Other highlights included light, crisp tempura of prawn, maitake mushroom, and eggplant, as well as a perfectly grilled wagyu beef fillet. These were paired with a range of fine sakes, such as the effervescent Rokushu sparkling sake as well as a special wine aptly named Bonds Well with Beef.
Over at Bistronomy Towers, we were treated to a special brunch by Chef de Cuisine Takuji Nakano and Chef Vladimir Veiga from Michelin-starred LAB by Sergi Arola in Portugal. The elegant spread, which included poached seabass and veal with Japanese langoustine, was paired with curated green teas – including an exclusive Ritz-Carlton Tokyo blend grown in Wazuka, Kyoto. Tea master Noriyasu Ueshima, a fifth-generation tea farmer from Wazuka was invited to show us the best ways to prepare sencha.
Guests also got to indulge in refined afternoon tea at The Lobby Lounge, featuring artisanal Sugi Bee Honey. Founded in 1946 in Kumamoto, Kyushu Island, the honey is prized for its its floral complexity and purity. Executive Pastry Chef Jong Tze Khang and his team devised a host of creative sweet and savoury treats fused with this honey.
One of the standout dinners was at Héritage by Kei Kobayashi paired with Chateau Haut-Brion wines and Louis XIII cognac. The hotel’s fine-dining destination is led by the acclaimed Chef Kei Kobayashi, the first Asian to receive three Michelin stars for his restaurant Kei in Paris. “The concept behind Héritage is to elevate “gastronomic French cuisine” by blending the beauty and sensibilities of Japan, in the city of Tokyo….” said Chef Kei, adding that Chef de cuisine Teruki Murashima trained with him in Paris for three months, which allowed them to have daily discussions in the same kitchen.
Chef Sandro commented, “I have been working with Chef Kobayashi for the last 30 months on Héritage’s restaurant concept. It is not easy to get a Michelin star with a great master chef like him because the food must be amazing even if he is living over 10,000km away. I must make sure we have the perfect team that can understand his vision and apply all the little details.”
Osaka-born Teruki recalled, “During my time at Restaurant KEI, I had the opportunity not only to refine my culinary skills but also to learn about Chef Kobayashi’s philosophy, vision, and approach to restaurant management, as well as his unique world view.” A regular at Toyosu Fish Market, Teruki carefully selects premium seafood through long-standing relationships with trusted purveyors.
Héritage by Kei Kobayashi’s dishes are defined by restraint and clarity, celebrating ingredients rather than masking them. For instance, blue lobster, is smoked to coax out its sweetness, then gently perfumed with vanilla and coconut milk rather than cloaked in rich sauces. Following the event, in October, the restaurant was awarded one Michelin star in the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2025 – a testament to its rising acclaim.
Needless to say, the three-day experience in Tokyo made an indelible impression on everyone. For more information on this year’s event, visit the website.
