The Krug Room, Mandarin Oriental

With experience shaping and leading Michelin-starred and Rosette-winning teams, Chef Robin Zavou now leads the Mandarin Oriental's culinary direction including 10 highly individualistic and renowned restaurants and bars, three of which boast Michelin stars, and the hotel’s catering programme.

A talk with Robin Zavou

Cooking is the most rewarding of crafts

What is one of the greatest lessons you have learned in the kitchen?

Less is more. That is something you learn with age and experience. The more you put on the plate, the more you complicate it. Plating should not distract from the flavours and harmony of prime ingredients.

What is it about fish that you find so inspiring?

The sea offers such a wide variety, more so than land. My proximity to Japan makes it easy to order and acquire the freshest of all types of fish – I am very lucky.

What are the secrets to teasing out the flavours in fish?

The secret, if you can call it that, is simply to respect the ingredient. John Dory is a fish that is packed with flavour, so it requires knowing how to coax it out with the right technique.

What comes to mind when you think of Krug Champagne?

I think of pure, balanced pleasure and the philosophy behind crafting it. Krug understands from the start how well its Champagnes will marry with food; it understands what Chefs want. With every bottle, the House gets it right.