India is a geography of multiple traditions. From food to culture, it appeals to a multi sensorial experience. Spice Lab Tokyo is a curated representation of a myriad of culinary stories. We aim to represent India in it’s most ornamental glory.
Drawing a parallel between the flavor and balance of cuisine served at the Spice Lab Tokyo, the visual identity system aims to weave inspiration from multiple traditional motifs and create a delicately balanced ornamental identity representative of traditional Indian craftsmanship. From embroidered Kanjeevaram Silk sarees to hand woven carpets from Kashmir, the skilled pottery of Rajasthan, Ikat, Bidri, and Brass work, India provides a variety of ornate intersecting styles.
The logo at the start looks like an ornament and on closer inspection we see the detailed elements crafted together.
The letters ‘S’ and ‘L’ representing SPICE and LAB, with motifs representing bountiful nature originating from them which is to signify our farm to table approach to dining.
The six dots represent the six Rasas (or tastes) of Ayurveda. Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, Pungent and Astringent. Ayurveda recommends including each of the tastes in every meal. The seventh dot represents the Japanese taste ‘Umami’.
Finally, the bird represents multiple things. The taking flight of our first venture in the food and service industry. That, birds only thrive in a rich and healthy green eco system and the highest standard with which we procure our produce, and also migration, very much like how birds travel from place to place, our cuisine has travelled to Tokyo bringing with it it’s own culinary story while creating a new one.
INTERIORS
The design is a juxtaposition of earthy Indian elements with the modern day Japanese palette. While we were trying to do that, we found fascinating similarities between the aesthetic sensibilities of both design genres. Overlapping the two resulted in an interesting design language; one that we hope to coin and take further with all the subsequent Spice Labs.
TEAM
Priya & Sunandan Kapur
Founder / Owners
“Japan is our home away from home and we’ve wanted to do something there forever. Our intention was to take the common love for all things gastronomical or indulgent and create something which showed our gratitude to the country, while showcasing to the world how deeply India and Japan’s culture are intertwined. Ginza was an obvious choice to make an impression in the heart of Tokyo’s culinary & beverage dictionary.”
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Chef Tejas Sovani
Executive Chef, Spice Lab Tokyo and The Grey Room
Cooking Style: Modern Indian
Hospitality Experience - 11 Years
POSITIONS HELD
Executive Sous Chef - The Oberoi Group of Hotels
Executive Sous Chef - Naoki, Aman Resorts
Stagiere - Noma, Copenhagen
PROJECT BASED COLLABORATIONS
Chef Jonay Armas
Chef Yakushijin Suzuki
Chef Anton Mossimann
Chef Christine Manfield
ACCOLADES AND AWARDS
2018 Best Regional speciality in premium dining award by Times Group
2018 Best Modern Indian Restaurant by Eazydiner
2018 Best Modern Indian Restaurant by Food Food
2017 Best Regional speciality in premium dining award by Times Group
2016 Young Chef of the Year at Top Chef Awards
2016 Best Regional speciality in premium dining award by Times Group
“If you are not innovating, you are not contributing. Period”
33 year old Chef Tejas Sovani combines tradition with innovation and is focussed on “what next”. He channels his passion into exploring the immeasurable possibilities that Indian Cuisine can offer to the world. -
Chef Ravitej Nath
Director and Corporate Chef
Hospitality Experience - 25 Years
POSITIONS HELD
Executive Chef - The Oberoi Group of Hotels, India, 10 years
ACCOLADES AND AWARDS
2015 National Award by the President of India “Best Chef in India”
2014 Awarded Chef of the Year by Hotelier India
2010 Awarded Chef of the Year by Hotelier India
2015 Led a team of 40 Chefs to Germany for an event hosted by Mr. Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India
“The cuisine of a place is the bridge that connects it’s its traditions and beliefs with nature.”
- Chef Ravitej Nath, 43, is a sustainable value chain and farm-to-plate enthusiast who works closely with farmers to develop his menus and dishes. -
Chef Hidemasa Yamamoto
Consulting Chef
Japanese born, Italian and French trained, Chef Hidemasa Yamamoto brings with him the experience and the zeal to challenge norms and traditions. He studied under the prestigious French chef Roger Verge. Post France, Chef Yamamoto retuned to Japan and garnered fame working in an Italian restaurant, ‘Borsalino’ in Roppongi, Tokyo.
Chef Yamamoto has graced kitchens such as ‘Chaya Brasserie’ in Beverly Hills and the ‘Chez Nouz Hama’ in San Francisco which came to be known as the “Best in the Bay Area”.
At 28 years of age, he became the Chief Executive Chef of The Ritz Carlton, Washington D.C, where he served for the inauguration ceremony of the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan. He has also served for the inaugurations of Presidents Bush and Clinton. His restaurant at The Ritz Carlton was chosen as the “Top Restaurant in Washington D.C.” during his time.
In 2005 he was invited back to Japan to be the Chief Executive Chef for the soon-to-be opened “Mandarin Oriental Tokyo”. Within a year, in 2006, the hotel had acquired the world’s first officially certified “Six Stars” by the American Academy of Hospitality Science. In addition to acquiring “One Michelin Star” each for three of their restaurants; ‘Signature’, ‘Sense’ and ‘Tapas Molecular Bar’.
In April 2010, he was awarded the “Global Chef Award” from the World Gourmet Summit – an annual epicurean festival that showcases the intricate craftsmanship of prestigious chefs.
As the FnB advisor for Spice Lab Tokyo and The Grey Room, Chef Hide is helping us to bring alive our concept.
