A Day in Tokyo

Brendan and Caryn Liew set up their pop-up Japanese café, Chotto, in 2016, bringing the art of traditional ryokan-style breakfasts to the Australian city of Melbourne. The café transported diners to Japan on a cultural and culinary journey that traversed old and new, everything inspired from countryside dinners on the Nakasendo trail, to the food of Japan’s far north and deep south, and the animated feasts of Studio Ghibli. Brendan Liew has spent time at the three-Michelin-starred Nihonryori Ryugin in Roppongi, Tokyo, and Hong Kong, and studied the art of ramen-making in Japan before delving into kappo and modern kaiseki cuisine. In Melbourne, he has worked at Kappo and Supernormal, had a pop-up cafe, Chotto, and is currently at Minamishima. He has travelled extensively through Japan’s countryside and major cities to explore, learn, and live Japan’s culture and cuisine. Together, Brendan and Caryn have travelled extensively through Japan’s countryside and major cities to explore, learn and live Japan’s culture and cuisine.