From a low-key commuter town in southeast England to star-studded kitchens in London, Paris, New York and Hong Kong, Daniel Calvert’s self-propelled rise to stardom is the stuff of dreams. He crossed the Atlantic to hone his skills as sous chef at Per Se in New York City, followed by a placement at Epicure at Le Bristol in Paris – both reputed establishments with three Michelin stars. Living and working across several of the world’s culinary capitals has made Daniel an open-minded chef, with a willingness to embrace versatile cultural influences and ingredients.

A passion for food, drink and hospitality has imbued Nobuhide Otsuka’s world for as long as he can remember. He was first introduced to fine wines while in France – his school owned its own Château winery. Spending over 15 years at the two Michelin-starred Beige Alain Ducasse in Tokyo, he steadily rose from assisting the sommelier as Commis de Rang to overseeing the restaurant as Maître d’Hôtel, eventually becoming the restaurant’s head sommelier in 2012. Otsuka works closely with the culinary team to understand the philosophy behind each dish at SÉZANNE, where he pictures the food and wine together as a full circle to provide a complexity of flavours working together in perfect harmony.

With more than 17 years in the world of haute pastry, Pastry Chef Patrick Thibaud brings a finely honed sweet sensibility to Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi. Marrying diligent precision with fresh creativity, his pastry-making approach is centred around “the architecture of taste,” a complex yet seamless confluence of multiple flavours and textures that unfold with each bite, keeping the palate engaged and interested. At MAISON MARUNOUCHI, the focus is on “the French connection,” classical desserts reimagined with playful touches and interactive elements. Chef Thibaud finds the entire process of bringing a new idea to life deeply satisfying, from brainstorming and recipe-testing to working together with his team to deliver a dessert that evokes smiles of delight and wonder.