Nagano chef brings 11-course alpine menu to MINATO for four nights
Chef Masahiro Tanabe of Hikariya-Nishi in Matsumoto will present The Taste of Nagano at MINATO in Wan Chai from October 7 to 10, 2026. The 11-course menu features seasonal Japanese produce with French technique and is limited to 30 sets per evening at HK$2,588 per person.
For four evenings this October, a taste of Nagano's alpine landscape is coming to Wan Chai. MINATO will host chef Masahiro Tanabe of Hikariya-Nishi in Matsumoto for The Taste of Nagano, an 11-course guest-chef menu served from 7 to 10 October.
Tanabe has spent more than three decades in the kitchen, including training in Lyon and Rome, before making Nagano his adopted culinary home. At Hikariya-Nishi, where he serves as executive chef and director of culinary operations for the Tobira Group, his approach is closely tied to the region's spring water, vegetables and seasonal harvests. The Matsumoto restaurant has received three hats from Gault & Millau Japan for three consecutive years from 2024 to 2026 and is part of the Relais & Châteaux collection.
For the Hong Kong residency, Tanabe and sous chef Tomoaki Hando will work alongside MINATO's culinary team on a menu limited to 30 sets each evening. The meal opens with Vegetable and Caviar Spring Rolls with Clear Gazpacho, prepared with Russian Oscietra caviar, before moving into Straw-grilled Returning Bonito with Fermented Tomatoes. Tanabe's French training becomes more apparent in the Shiitake Mushroom Terrine, where whole mushrooms, dashi and truffle come together.
Later courses include Hokkigai Clam Risotto served with a vegetable mousse made from Tanabe's signature vegetable bouillon, and Duck Liver and A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Tenderloin prepared by MINATO's teppanyaki team. Dessert pairs cauliflower with white chocolate sauce, crème brûlée, coconut and Tabasco ice cream, finished with basil oil. The meal closes with Okinawan mango and basil cream. One Nagano-inspired savory course remains a surprise.
The menu can be accompanied by five sakes from ILAKA Sake Atelier — Black, Crimson, Indigo, Gold and Forest — selected by master brewer Katsumi Tanaka, Tanabe and the sommelier teams of Hikariya-Nishi and MINATO. The brewery relocated to Matsukawa Village in 2024, drawn by the area's exceptionally soft water with a hardness of just seven milligrams per litre.
"Bringing Hikariya-Nishi's dishes to Hong Kong offers a meaningful opportunity to connect with local diners and share the regional character of Nagano, whose distinctive natural environment and produce are at the heart of my cuisine," Tanabe said. "Through this cultural exchange between the dynamic dining scenes of Nagano and Hong Kong, it is my wish to convey Japan's culinary craftsmanship and create an unforgettable experience for guests."
The Taste of Nagano at MINATO runs from 7 to 10 October. The price is HK$2,588 per person, or HK$2,188 for Brilliant by Langham members, with 30 sets available each evening.