It was my last shoot with Pan Pacific. Among their many planned promos was the new menu launch of their Japanese restaurant, Keyaki. I was responsible for liaising with the client, developing the content plan, and organising the production schedule.
With no specific featured dishes, I proposed a cooking montage to showcase the culinary cornerstones of Japanese cuisine. The variety of shots would also prove useful in serving a more dynamic and visually engaging picture.
This deliverable was amended to a shorter runtime; leaving the original proposed content to be reconceptualized. Instead of playing up the menu’s variety, the focus was shifted to the dedicated and refined artistry of Head Chef, Kawakami Hiroaki. We had the narration limited to a simple few sentences to allow for more freedom during the editing process.
Chef Hiroaki was a delight to work alongside! To ensure an authentic depiction of expert Japanese cooking, we periodically consulted him regarding set dressing throughout the shoot. His playful charisma and impeccable sense of professionalism made this one of the most enjoyable shoots of my career.