This is the story of how Aeron Choo went from apprentice to chef-owner of omakase restaurant Kappou

At 16, while her peers were fresh out of high school, chef Aeron Choo embarked on a path less travelled. Armed with a fervent passion for the culinary arts, she went on a pilgrimage to Japan and doggedly knocked on the doors of various restaurants that could offer her a place in their kitchens.

The rhythmic clatter of dishes marked the ingénue’s start in the restaurant world — as a dishwasher. Choo's career trajectory from the dishwashing station was fuelled by a thirst for knowledge. She would go on to spend the next six years working under the tutelage of master chefs in restaurants such as Kashiwaya Osaka Senriyama and Kikunoi Honten (Kyoto), where she honed her skills in the ancient art of sushi-making, sashimi preparation, and the delicate intricacies of kaiseki cuisine.

Today, the vivacious 29-year-old runs Kappou, a 20-seat kappo-style omakase restaurant in Raffles Place, which opened in March. 

As a female chef navigating a male-dominated profession, Choo faced innumerable challenges. In Japan, the workplace facilities didn't cater to women — there were no lockers, toilets, and dormitories for females. Moreover, women were strictly prohibited from standing behind the sushi counters, which were considered sacred and off-limits due to antiquated beliefs related to menstrual cycles. This meant that she was relegated to the back end of the kitchen. 

The Singaporean chef vividly recalls a transformative lesson in Japan nearly a decade ago. Once, she forgot to cover the rice bin. In response, her senior took piping hot rice and piled it on her freshly shaven head, adding more as she continuously tried to pick off the rice. She says: “Every mistake I made became a valuable lesson. I never forgot to close the rice bin again."

She remembers the times when she would cry as she was taking out the trash. But even that mundane task became her precious moment of solitude. “Disposing of the garbage was a treasured moment. There was no time to breathe as people scrutinised her every action. They were evaluating my character to determine if I was worthy of learning the next recipe.”

Going upmarket

After six years of working in Japan, Choo became the first Singaporean to graduate from Tokyo's prestigious Japan Sushi Instructors Association in 2014. At 22, she established her first restaurant, Kappou, at Fortune Centre in 2016, which closed in mid-2022. In March, she switched from a casual to a fine-dining concept to cater to the well-heeled diners in the Central Business District. 

The relocation allowed her to refine the dining atmosphere and gastronomic experience, with original omakase dishes served with her creative interpretation and an emphasis on Japan’s 72 micro-seasons. The menu, which is refreshed weekly, features seasonal ingredients discovered during her monthly trips to Japan. 

Kappou’s signature Caviar Toastie is served with a bowl of luscious Oita free-range egg yolk and cultured yeast, topped with caviar, and served with toast bread, inspired by the Russian tradition of employing caviar as a culinary salt. The dish has an augmented-reality element where diners can scan a photograph, which shows a video of the caviar production process in Chengdu.

Another highlight is the Ice Block Tuna. What sets this delicacy apart is the intricate process of dripping oil from the blow-torched tuna fat over the negitoro. The mixture is then sandwiched between two gigantic ice blocks to re-solidify the oil. The smoky tuna fat is served with warm rice and seaweed, delivering an invigorating hot-meets-cold sensation. The omakase meal is served with goofy jibes and stories from the bubbly Choo. 

Striving for improvement

Despite running a restaurant, Choo carves out time for monthly training sessions in Japan at Kashiwaya, a  three-Michelin-starred ryotei in Osaka. Through these immersive visits that can last up to a fortnight, she keenly observes and absorbs the restaurant's operational dynamics and explores unconventional food pairings with sake, shochu, and other spirits. For instance, she has recently mastered pairing the delicate notes of rose with dashi. 

Besides training sessions, Choo also participates in cooking competitions such as this year’s Washoku World Challenge in Tokyo, which is organised by the Japanese government for non-Japanese chefs to showcase their skills. Choo came in third in the competition, which saw stiff competition from North America, Europe, and Asia. 

Sustainability is also a core principle at Kappou. Choo is big on using fermentation as a sustainable practice. For instance, the skins of chestnuts and other vegetables are used to make sauces and dashi. “We make everything into different dashis and store it. We use leftover items from the summer and store them in the bin for two seasons. This is a practice that aligns with common traditions in Japan,” she adds.

She enthuses: “My approach to cooking involves learning from the past, interpreting for the present, and envisioning the future.”