15 Chefs. 15 Menus. One Season to Remember.
“Summer is a moment. These chefs made it a memory.”
As the last plate is cleared and summer fades into memory, one thing remains undeniably vibrant: the mark left by 15 extraordinary chefs who redefined seasonality, identity, and inspiration through the All4Chefs Summer Menu Challenge 2025.
Over the past months, chefs from Tokyo to Lima, Oslo to Bangkok, have transformed the essence of summer into artful menus—personal, daring, emotional. Their stories were not just about food, but about landscapes, memories, philosophies, and the quiet fire behind every creative choice.
This isn’t just a recap. It’s a celebration of the chefs who shaped our summer.
Chef Gary Alezra
Chef’s Table by Lebua – Two Michelin Stars
Bangkok, Thailand
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Menu Title: Summer Tasting Menu – Chef’s Table, Bangkok
By Chef Gary Alezra, Executive Chef Vincent Thierry, Executive Pastry Chef Guillaume Tournemolle & Team
A collaborative seasonal journey marrying Thai produce with French precision. Highlights included Seared Icelandic Langoustine poached in vanilla butter with Swiss chard and turnip; Kinmedai over binchotan with artichokes à la barigoule; and Challans Duck with cumin-glazed carrot and garlic cream. Teamwork, restraint, and clean, elegant flavor shaped the opening chapter of the challenge.
Chef Mattia Stanchieri
Vibe Restaurant – Michelin Guide
Lisbon, Portugal
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Menu Title: Love, Laughter & Lemongrass
A 12-moment tasting inspired by his Thai honeymoon—memories translated into spice and balance. Signatures included “BKK” Squid Pad Thai (Atlantic squid, smoked squid broth) and Massaman Curry Stingray with clams and sweet-potato purée. A travel diary in flavors—personal, playful, and precise.
Chef Sören Herzig
Herzig Restaurant – One Michelin Star
Vienna, Austria
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Menu Title: Leichtigkeit, Tiefe, Charakter – Lightness, Depth, Character
A 12-course study in contrast and emotion. Standouts: Char · Hot & Sour (Alpine char in Szechuan broth with chanterelles and lardo) and Étouffée Pigeon with beetroot crust, shiitake duxelles, and blackberry jus. Austrian terroir, global finesse—crafted to make you feel, not just recognize.
Chef Otto Vašák
ESSENS Restaurant – Gault&Millau 16/20
Hlohovec, Czech Republic
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Menu Title: Rooted, Seasonal, Pure
A 6-course ode to South Moravia and the castle gardens. Highlights: Lamb · Cabbage · Nduja for depth and smoke; Cauliflower · Chili · Chives balancing creaminess with heat; and Rhubarb · White Chocolate · Lovage—summer distilled. Local discipline, quiet invention.
Chef Takashi Tanno
NÔL – One Michelin Star, One Green Star
Tokyo, Japan
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Menu Title: A Moment of Season
Heritage, nature, and zero-waste philosophy in motion. Notable moments: Zero Waste Soup (pea shells, shiitake stems, tomato skins, potato peels) and Venison · Coffee · Eggplant with heart and lardo. A forest-minded menu that turns overlooked parts into beauty.
Chef Floris van Straalen
VanOost – Michelin Guide
Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Menu Title: Omission & Expression
Product speaks; technique listens. Signatures included Langoustine · Sambal · Atjar (sambal-glazed langoustine with papaya and boemboe) and Chawanmushi · King Crab · Vin Jaune. French discipline, Japanese clarity, Indonesian soul—edited to essence.
Chef Christophe Hay
Fleur de Loire – Two Michelin Stars, One Green Star
Blois, France
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Menu Concept: A seasonal tribute to heritage, family, and the Loire
A personal, sustainable journey from garden to river to farm. The emblematic Carp “à la Chambord” reimagined with crayfish and Cheverny wine stood beside Wagyu from his own herd. Place, memory, and stewardship on every plate.
Chef Thomas Danigo
Galanga (Monsieur George Hotel & Spa) – One Michelin Star
Paris, France
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Menu Title: Sunlight, Memory, Emotion
A final Paris chapter written in botanical nuance and nostalgia. Highlights: Burnt Leek · Pecorino · Guanciale Sabayon—a carbonara in vegetable form—and Strawberry Soup · Aloe Vera · Lavender Ice Cream, echoing childhood desserts. Tender, precise, and luminous.
Chef Nicolo Rotella
8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA – Two Michelin Stars
Shanghai, China
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Menu Titles: ROOTS & JOURNEY
Two voices of one chef: Piedmontese memory and present-day movement. From Raviolo with botan shrimp and caviar (ROOTS) to New Zealand Scampi in Thai basil bisque (JOURNEY), Rotella framed heritage and transformation as companion ideas.
Chef Jaime Pesaque
MAYTA – The World’s 50 Best Restaurants
Lima, Peru
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Menu Title: Mayta experience
A 10-course mapping of Peru’s ecosystems. Defining plates: Paiche · Sachaculantro · Tucupí · Chonta (Amazon on a plate) and Guinea Pig · Mashuas · Cushuro · Andean Herbs. Regenerative sourcing, cultural memory, and precision—Peru, in chapters.
Chef Dennis Kuckuck
Vendôme – Two Michelin Stars
Bergisch Gladbach (Cologne), Germany
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Menu Title: Land & Sea
A seven-course dialogue of clarity and contrast. Signatures: Confit Skate Wing · Tomato Ponzu · Tarragon Oil and the four-part Bavarian Venison sequence with consommé, beet taco, and pink-roasted saddle. Reduction, balance, and emotional structure.
Chef Stéphane Décotterd
Maison Décotterd – One Michelin Star
Glion (Montreux), Switzerland
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Menu Title: A Taste of the Swiss Lakes & Summer Fields
Luxury made local: Lake Geneva Perch in Yarrow Crust with sweet pepper piperade; Féra and Alpine herbs; a Hot Raspberry & Nettle Soufflé finale. An alpine summer rendered with restraint and pride.
Chef Mikael Svensson
Kontrast – Two Michelin Stars, One Green Star
Oslo, Norway
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Menu Concept: A seasonal journey from fjord to forest
Nordic clarity with a sustainable core. Defining courses: Wild Halibut with smoked seaweed, black trumpets, and caviar; Beef Tongue with ramson and coffee shoyu sabayon. Quiet power, sharpened to essence.
Chef Emi Schobert
Blossom – One Michelin Star
Málaga, Spain
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Menu Title: Grand Menu Blossom
A 16-course botanical arc bridging Andalusia and Latin America. Highlights: Ceviche in ají amarillo tiger’s milk; Scallop · Foie Gras · Sweet Potato; Venison · Mole · Topinambur; and Pineapple · Tepache · Coconut · White Chocolate. Technical, sincere, and emotionally voiced.
Chef Arnaud Bignon
Spondi – One Michelin Star
Athens, Greece
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Menu Title: Nature, Elegance & Contrast
French precision in conversation with Japanese minimalism and Greek brightness. Signatures: Foie Gras Parfait glazed with strawberry and elderflower; Blue Lobster in satay-lime butter; and a Yuzu finale with shiso-mint sorbet. Contrast as harmony.
What comes Next ?
photo credit Stefanie Hering @hering berlin
“When Culinary Art Encounters Crafted Design”
The All4Chefs Summer Menu Challenge was never just about a season of dishes — it was about the inspiration behind them. And now, that inspiration takes on a new form.
For the first time, visionary designers and premium brands have joined the journey. From porcelain makers to artisan glassware and bespoke cutlery, they will share their own favorites from this summer’s challenge — chefs whose menus moved them, whose stories echoed their craft.
In the weeks ahead, readers of Chefs MAG will discover:
Who the designers and brands chose as their favorites
What gifts they’ve sent from their collections
How those creations inspire chefs in return — through unboxing moments, plating videos, and table presentations.
And for our community, the story isn’t just one to watch — it’s one to join. Soon, you’ll be able to explore the chefs’ reels on our landing page and cast your vote for the talent that marked your summer most.
The season may be ending, but the dialogue between chefs, designers, and audiences has only just begun.
