From Chow Kit to the embassy, Japanese chef finds the soul of M’sian flavours

SUBANG JAYA : Before most of Kuala Lumpur has even stirred awake, Motomichi Takeno is already weaving through the aisles of Chow Kit market. By six o’clock each morning, the Japanese chef is carefully selecting fish and vegetables – believing the day’s best meal begins not in the kitchen, but with choosing the freshest ingredients by hand.

For Takeno, who has served as the official chef at the Japan embassy in Malaysia since 2024, that daily ritual lies at the heart of “washoku” – Japan’s traditional food culture, which celebrates seasonality, simplicity and respect for nature.

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