China’s Michelin-starred Wild Yeast comes to Singapore for for a two-night collaboration with Cassia at Capella
Wild Yeast in Hangzhou, increasingly viewed as one of the restaurants helping to define the future of contemporary Chinese cuisine, will bring its signature brand of Taizhou cuisine into Cassia’s Cantonese kitchen on Jun 5 and Jun 6.
Cassia at Capella will welcome Wild Yeast, which explores what a modern, regionally-rooted Chinese fine-dining identity can be. (Photos: Wild Yeast)
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Heard of Taizhou cuisine? Even within China, it’s a lesser-known style of regional cooking. But, Michelin-starred Wild Yeast in Hangzhou, one of the most eagerly watched restaurants in China’s new generation of fine dining, is helping to change that.
On June 5 and 6, Wild Yeast and Cassia at Capella are joining hands so that diners here get to taste their collaborative dishes, which navigate the waters of tradition and innovation, in a specially curated menu (S$360++ per person).
While Cassia’s executive Chinese chef Ben Wong will employ his expertise in Cantonese cooking towards creations like Black Gold Pig Trotter Aspic with Green Chilli Sauce, Osmanthus and Yam in Rice Wine Sauce, and Pan-seared A5 Marbled Wagyu Beef with Rose Salt and Pan Sauce, chef Xu Zhiqiang of Wild Yeast will present dishes including Homemade Chilli Oil with Seafood and Lotus Root, Thick Soup of Pigeon-stuffed Bird’s Nest, and Premium Hand-picked Fish Maw, Seasonal Mushroom and Sand Ginger.
Singapore diners, who are much more familiar with Cantonese cuisine, will have something to discover.
Wild Yeast’s Chef Xu, born and raised in Taizhou on the coast of Zhejiang Province, describes seafood- and ginger-heavy Taizhou cuisine as “very simple — its entire soul comes down to one thing, freshness.”
In their Hangzhou restaurant, “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,” he explained.
In exploring that identity, French-trained Xu is interested in interested in terroir, seasonality and fermentation. “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,” he explained. “We are refining local fermentation into a kind of precision logic, using controlled temperature and time to do curing, marinating and ageing.”
If he had to pick one dish that best represents Wild Yeast, he said, it would be Huadiao Steamed Egg Custard and Claypot Rice with Braised Spiny Lobster in Taizhou Ginger Sauce — which will, indeed, be served at the collaboration event.
“This dish draws from a collective memory we call the ‘Zhejiang Province Ultimate Staple’. Every child in our region grows up mashing Shaoxing wine-infused steamed custard into hot rice — it is the irreplaceable taste of home. For locals, it evokes deep childhood nostalgia; for international guests, it offers a clear window into the soulful flavours of Zhejiang,” he said. While traditional Taizhou seafood relies on home-style braising, Xu elevates the dish by infusing it with freshly pressed yellow ginger, which has less sharpness and is instead more aromatic and sweet, adding a gentle, warming layer that lifts the lobster’s natural sweetness.
Cassia’s Wong noted that apart from sharing a respect for core ingredients and an emphasis on seasonality, freshness and precision of technique, one interesting thing he has found in common with Wild Yeast is that “both our traditions underscore the importance of broth. Taizhou’s home-style braising and ginger-infused dishes often use a high-quality broth as a base. Cantonese cuisine holds that ‘no feast is complete without soup’, with double-boiled soups and superior broths being central to its soul.”
Xu continued: “At Wild Yeast, we turn broth into a cooking logic. We see Chinese broths as the exact equivalent of French sauces — the stocks shift shapes fluidly, from clear soups to rich broths, and all the way to sauces.”
While there are similarities in the two chefs’ philosophies, it’s their differences that are set to spark off an interesting meal.
“Chef Zhiqiang’s flavour profile leans towards savoury, salty and mildly spicy, resulting in a more direct and rustic taste,” Wong said, noting that Xu’s use of chilli is “distinctly ginger-based, offering warmth and a soothing heat, not sharp spiciness.” Xu also combines ginger skilfully with Shaoxing wine, soy sauce and lard to create rich, mellow flavours. “Meanwhile, my approach is lighter, fresher, and subtly sweet, with a focus on layered harmony and balance.” With a restrained use of sauces and minimal heat, “the overall character remains gentle and balanced.”
The overall effect of the menu is one of “complementarity and tension”. “The elegance and delicacy of Cantonese cuisine and the robust, mellow depth of Taizhou cuisine highlight and enhance each other,” Wong said.
For more information, visit https://capellahotels.com/en/capella-singapore/offers/cassia-wild-yeast
Source: CNA/my
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