From Xihu to Roppongi: Black Pearl-Honored Chef Jimmy Wei Takes the Helm at Grand Hyatt Tokyo

(Photo courtesy of Grand Hyatt Tokyo)

The chef behind Dining Room, which has been recognized in the prestigious Black Pearl Restaurant Guide for eight consecutive years, has spent nearly three decades shaping the culinary scene in Hangzhou. It is only fitting that this special menu centers on the flavors of Hangzhou cuisine.

Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province, is often called the “land of fish and rice.” Surrounded by rivers and lakes, the region is known for its abundant produce, picturesque scenery, and long history of prosperity. The local cuisine developed in this fertile landscape and forms an important branch of Zhejiang cuisine. Believed to date back to the Southern Song Dynasty, Hangzhou cooking is celebrated for its light, refined flavors, meticulous knife work, and beautifully presented dishes. It also makes masterful use of the Jiangnan region’s freshwater seafood and seasonal ingredients.

Lunch Course Menu (Photo: LIVE JAPAN)

The dishes featured in this special menu all originate from Dining Room at Park Hyatt Hangzhou and reflect the restaurant’s commitment to meticulous, handcrafted cooking. While a small number of supporting ingredients are imported, most of the ingredients are sourced locally in Japan. One of the highlights of this limited-time event is seeing how Chef Wei recreates the authentic flavors of Hangzhou cuisine using ingredients available abroad.

Our Chinese editor was invited to attend the opening day of the event to sample Chef Wei’s carefully prepared Chinese banquet. During the visit, she also had the opportunity to speak with the chef in person and hear about the passion and vision behind this culinary exchange.

(Photo: LIVE JAPAN)

The course began with four beautifully prepared cold appetizers. Balancing notes of sour, sweet, savory, and umami, each dish was delicately plated with an elegant touch. Together, they arrived like a gentle spring breeze, quietly awakening the palate and setting the tone for the meal to come. Until April 30, Chef Wei’s signature cold appetizer platter will continue to be featured in the Shinshiko lunch course and the Chinaroom dinner course.

(Photo: LIVE JAPAN)

Chinaroom is already well known for its Cantonese dim sum buffet, where every dish is prepared fresh to order. The dim sum in this special course continued that same high standard. The shrimp dumpling featured a delicate wrapper with a pleasantly springy bite, encasing plump, juicy shrimp. Meanwhile, the pork bun offered deep, savory flavor and satisfying layers of richness, leaving a lingering impression with every bite.

(Photo: Grand Hyatt Tokyo)

Among the dishes on the menu, one that Chef Wei especially hopes guests will notice is Dining Room’s signature item, “Chen Yu Luo Yan.” The dish is inspired by the classic Chinese specialty clear-broth fish ball soup, but reimagined with a refined modern touch.

Chef Wei enriches the fish balls with bird’s nest and enhances their natural umami with crab roe. The fish balls are prepared with grouper and snow fungus, a delicate edible mushroom often used in Chinese cuisine as a plant-based alternative to bird’s nest. The result is a texture that is soft yet pleasantly springy, with a silky, refined mouthfeel. With its precise technique and graceful presentation, the finished bowl feels almost like a small work of culinary art. Chef Wei’s fish ball soup will be available as part of the Chinaroom dinner course until April 30.

(Photo: LIVE JAPAN)

Another standout dish that drew praise from the attending media was the steamed blackthroat seaperch served with chicken oil sauce. While the original version highlights blackthroat seaperch, it is now reimagined with leopard coral grouper, featured as part of the Shinshiko lunch course through April 30. The lightly cured fish had a clean, refreshing texture, while the fragrant chicken oil, gently infused with Sichuan peppercorn, adds a subtle aromatic layer. The dish is finished with a specially prepared yellow chili sauce made from fermented yellow lantern chili and yellow bell pepper. Its bright, tangy heat brings balance to the plate and highlights the natural sweetness of the fish.

(Photo: LIVE JAPAN)

China’s high-end dining scene has evolved significantly in recent years. While remaining rooted in traditional recipes, many chefs now incorporate techniques from international cuisines to achieve greater precision and refinement. The “Braised Marble Beef, Pickled Vegetable” was a perfect example of this approach.

The richly marbled wagyu is slowly cooked at a low temperature to achieve tenderness, then quickly seared at high heat to seal in its juices. Unlike the preparation often seen in Western steakhouses, the addition of Shaoxing preserved vegetables and fermented rice added a distinctive Jiangnan character, giving the dish a deeper, more complex flavor profile.

(Photo: LIVE JAPAN)

Just as diners were beginning to linger over the flavors of the previous courses, the rice dish, “Fried Rice with Soy Sauce-Smoked Bamboo Shoots,” quickly drew everyone’s attention.

In a small bowl, the fried rice felt almost all-encompassing: smoked bamboo shoots, cured pork, and vegetables are finely diced and tossed with perfectly separated grains of rice, creating a rich variety of textures in every bite. A specially blended soy sauce brought the dish together, adding depth of aroma and a fuller, more rounded flavor. (This dish will be available as part of the Shinshiko lunch course until April 30.)

(Photo: LIVE JAPAN)

Xihu Longjing is one of China’s most celebrated green teas and a specialty of Hangzhou. In this menu, it appeared in a dessert that elegantly brought the region’s signature flavor into the final course.

The Longjing caramel custard had a smooth, silky texture, with a gentle aroma of tea that gradually unfolds on the palate. Lightly sweet with a lingering finish, it captured the understated elegance often found in Chinese desserts.

Alongside it, the traditional red bean rice cake offered a soft, pleasantly chewy bite and the comforting fragrance of glutinous rice, evoking the warm, everyday charm of life in the waterways and old streets of Jiangnan.

(Photo: LIVE JAPAN)

While delicious food often speaks for itself, cuisine has always reflected the ingredients, traditions, and culture of its place of origin. Even after the main event, some of Chef Wei’s signature dishes continue to offer a window into Hangzhou’s gastronomy. He hopes diners in Tokyo can gain a deeper appreciation for these flavors through his creations, and warmly invites guests to one day visit Hangzhou to experience even more authentic tastes of the region.